Night Rain
by LoveItachiForever
Summary: ON HIATUS! That day changed everything, the day they betrayed him in a way he never thought possible. Warnings: Male/Male. INCEST. AU/AR. Undecided pairing. ?/Naru, ItaNaru, ItaSasu, ItaNaruSasu, KakaIru, etc.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Night Rain  
**Pairings:** Undecided. ?/Naru, ItaNaru, ItaSasu, ItaNaruSasu, KakaIru, etc.  
**Genre:** AU, Angst, Romance, Humor, etc.  
**Status:** Multi-chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters, they are all owned by Kishimoto Masashi, nor do I make money out of writing this.

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**A/N**: This is my first fan-fiction ever, so please be gentle.

Oh, and since I'm Swedish there might be some errors concerning grammar, subject-verb agreement and faulty word choices. If you find any, please let me know.

Enjoy!

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"Speaking"

'_Thinking'_

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… _(Double lines) = change of scenery/new scene._

_o-o-o-o (One small o-line) = after a short amount of time __**or**__ change of point of view._

…

…

…

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 1_

Paperwork, always this endless amount of paperwork, no matter how many times he finished a pile another one would always show up, leaving him in an irritate mood on a regular basis. The only reason he put up with it was because he wanted to be able to support himself and his fiancé and he happened to like his boss a great deal.

Hatake Kakashi was a lazy-ass couch potato who only read erotic novels all day, leaving his employees to do all the work. The man also happened to be his father, adopting him at the age of seven together with his longtime lover Iruka. He loved them both dearly, but days like these made him curse his luck.

"Mr. Uzumaki?" A voice behind him asked.

"Yes?"

"Here's another pile."

"Oww..." He groaned, dropping his head down onto his desk with a thud.

He, Uzumaki Naruto, 25 years old, was an accountant at the famous Raikiri Company. However, he mostly signed and corrected documents and sent them over to his father for further signing, papers that dealt with their economy, paychecks, payments, vacations and so on. Not a dream job perhaps, but the salary was uncomplainingly good.

0-0-0-0

The time was closing to five and he silently cheered, preparing to leave. Noticing his desk being a complete mess, documents and binders laying everywhere, he decided to clean his office up a bit before leaving. Work was always less exasperating if his desk was neatly tidied up, not only was it easier to find the things he wanted but it also looked better.

Putting the large multicolored binders on the shelves above his desk, the documents in his drawers or in neat stacks on the table and throwing unnecessary papers away, he deemed himself finished.

Stretching to ease the numbing feeling in his muscles, he heard his joints creak and felt the unpleasant ache in his back worsen. He reminded himself to ask his fiancé about a massage when he came home, sitting hunched over his desk all day was definitely not healthy, not to mention that the man happened to be wonderful at massages. Almost to the point where it made him suspect that his lover had been a masseur in a previous life or something, he truly had magical hands.

Grabbing his office bag after putting his shoes and coat on, he bid his co-workers adieu before leaving the building.

It was rather chilly outside and he was grateful for the warm coat Iruka had made him wear, the man being quite persistent and a typical mother-hen. It wasn't orange as he originally wanted, but his father had lectured him about businessmen never wearing vibrant colors of that kind and stores never selling them, so he had he relented, a grey coat now covering most of his body.

Pulling the zipper up further to cover his neck, he continued walking through the crowded streets, noticing some stores closing for the day. Turning left, after walking straight ahead for several minutes, he made his way toward the train station.

He lived in the north-eastern district of Taitou, one of Toukyou's special wards, in an area called Asakusa. The place was quite popular due to its beautiful sceneries, traditional architecture, attractions and quiet neighborhoods, thus making it very well-habited. He and his fiancé had wanted to settle down in an area not too far from their family, friends and occupations, so Asakusa had been the obvious choice from the start. Though, what had really made up their minds had been the wonderful house they now lived in, in the outskirts of the area surrounded by a small forest, with a traditional exterior and a modern interior.

The reason he went to work by train every day was mostly because going there by car was out of the question. The traffic in the city was one of the worst in the entire country, or so he had heard, and since the city never slept and many people travelled by automobiles, parking lots were very hard to find. He himself had driven to work a few times and had almost always ended up being late, having been stuck in traffic every time. As a result, he had chosen to use trains as a means of transportation instead, thinking they were more convenient.

0-0-0-0

As usual, the station was as crowded as always, people making their way home to their families and loved ones, everyone in a hurry to catch their trains, running past each other and bumping into one another.

Stepping onto his train for the evening, he noticed an empty seat at the far end between a little girl and an old lady and sat down after asking if the seat was taken. The little girl was playing with a Pullip doll in traditional wear, making sounds while moving the doll around, talking to it and caressing its hair. The sight made him smile and he and the girl's mother shared a look of amused embarrassment.

He loved children and strangely enough, they were quite fond of him too. He remembered the time he had met a kid named Konohamaru, about 7 years ago, on his way to his university in the city. The boy had been the son of one of the lecturers who lived nearby and usually sat alone by a tree on campus and waited for his father's shift to end.

Seeing the child constantly sitting there had made him feel slightly curious and sympathetic so he had decided to greet him every time he had passed him by, slowly trying to engage him in conversation. At first the boy had disliked him, thinking he was like everyone else, judgmental, uncaring and meddlesome, and had thus ignored him. But after seeing that he wasn't, the boy had come to admire him and they had developed a friendship that still remained strong to this day. Konohamaru was currently a sophomore in high school and often gave him a call whenever he needed help with his studies, his own father being too busy.

To tell the truth, he still couldn't figure out why Konohamaru had chosen to open up to him. He sort of guessed it was because he kind of acted like a child most of the time, something he refused to admit to anyone but knew to be true, and that he had the ability to make them feel like equals, not being judgmental or exuding superiority.

He and Itachi were even thinking about adopting after they had gotten married. He honestly couldn't wait, the thought of fatherhood making him feel all warm and pleasant inside. He could not recall how long he had longed for the day he would be called_ '_father', to see his child grow up happily and eventually start a family of their own.

Feeling his eyes start to prickle at the notion, he internally scolded himself for being such a sentimental crybaby and shifted his gaze toward his lap. Though, he really couldn't help it.

Having been in many foster homes as a child until he had met Kakashi and Iruka, he had promised himself as an adult to give his own kids the best childhood and life possible, never wanting anyone else to go through the things he had gone through. People who knew him knew that he never broke his promises once he made them; a promise was always a promise.

The train was closing in to his stop so he readied himself to leave. Rising to his feet, he walked toward the doors, returning the wave the little girl gave him as he stepped off. Whilst outside, he shuddered at the change of temperature. The train had been warm and comfy and the cold and gray weather of November made goose bumps spread across his skin.

It was a ten minutes' walk from the stop to his house. He walked slowly with his shoulders hunched up, watching his surroundings as he passed them by, the darkening sky and the shining streetlights casting shadows on the graveled ground.

0-0-0-0

Finally reaching his home, he opened the wooden door and stepped inside. Noticing the extra yet familiar pair of shoes whilst undressing, he walked into the living room to see his best friend and fiancé watch television.

"I'm home." He greeted.

"Hn, moron..." His best friend replied, turning his head away from the screen to look at him.

He and Sasuke had known each other for 10 years now, since the day they had first meet in high school. Initially, they had started off as enemies, both trying to make the other's life a living hell but eventually they had settled their differences and developed a friendship that could beat the most. However, they still teased each other a lot, but that was one of the positive quirks of their friendship.

Preparing to retort, he was quickly silenced by a pair of lips on his own. Feeling the familiar warmth and scent of his lover, he smiled into the chaste kiss and returned it eagerly.

"Welcome home." Itachi said, slowly and reluctantly retreating his lips. "How's work?"

"Oh, you know…same old same old." He muttered, blushing against his will.

"Why do you work there anyway, moron? It's not like you really need the money.., us being rich and all." Sasuke said, smirking lightly and looking very smug.

"Bastard…" He commented while glaring at the younger man. "You know I'd like to contribute to our income, and I can't quit, Kakashi's become dependent of me."

"Hn, you keep telling us that but-"

"Sasuke..." Itachi interrupted, glaring at his younger brother in warning.

"Hn…" Sasuke grunted, crossing his arms over his chest, a pout forming on his face.

0-0-0-0

Knowing he could be a bastard at times, he knew he was right this time since he truly meant well. He and older his brother had been noticing Naruto's grumpier behavior as well as tired exterior and they were worried about him. The idiot needed to rest yet the blond was determined not to do so, which was infuriating to say the least. Naruto's reasons for working weren't really that convincing either, especially since it was obvious he disliked his job. Knowing this argument wouldn't lead anywhere however, only making Naruto frustrated and Itachi pissed off at him for being the cause of it, he quieted down.

0-0-0-0

"I've made you some raamen." He said and broke the uncomfortably silence that had settled around them, suddenly remembering.

"Really..? Thanks 'Tachi." Naruto exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek before running off into the kitchen, all harsh feelings forgotten.

Shaking his head lightly, he felt his mouth tug slightly at the seams. Naruto and his addiction to raamen never stopped amusing him. The blond could never get enough of the food no matter how often or how much he consumed. However, something he always thought was odd was that every time he made his fiancée some, Naruto would always cheer and lightly jump around before tucking in only to have a solemn look on his face when he finished it.

He couldn't help but wonder if Naruto associated raamen with something not all that pleasant, knowing his cooking couldn't be bad. He was an Uchiha after all.

Though, Naruto had never told him anything about it and he had never questioned him, knowing his fiancée would tell him if it was anything serious or important. Perhaps his lover was just disappointed that the plate was cleared and that all food was gone and thus made such an expression.

Sighing, he sat back down next his brother on the couch, feeling like he should not give it too much thought. After all, he didn't want to become one of those overly paranoid lovers that constantly needed to pry into their partner's personal matters.

0-0-0-0

Entering the kitchen, he saw the holy food on the table, laying there all juicy, warm and delicious, just waiting to be eaten by him and him alone. His fiancé was surprisingly good at making it, always making sure the bowls were big - knowing he ate a lot and adored the dish.

Looking through drawers for some chopsticks, he quickly found a pair and leered at his prey before attacking it, drool covering the chin of his inner beast.

Raamen, the food given to humans by the gods, was something he could never get tired of. The first time he ever tasted it was when his big brother had treated him some at a small stand in the outskirts of Obihiro several years ago. The place had been called Ichi-something, he couldn't recall its full name, but he remembered that their food had been delicious and that they had gone there repeatedly. It was probably during that time that had fallen in love with the dish and unlike most crushes it had neither withered nor gone away.

Now halfway through the bowl with noodles hanging out of his mouth, he couldn't help but think about his brother. They hadn't seen each other in so many years and he could honestly barely remember what his sibling looked like, having been separated from him at such an early age. Even though he knew where his kin lived, he had never managed to build up enough courage to visit him, believing his brother wouldn't want him to. He had never told his friends or the Uchihas about his sibling either, a part of him afraid that they would make him see him and rage about him having kept quiet about it for such a long time.

Sighing, he pushed the empty bowl away, suddenly feeling dejected. Why couldn't he just fly over there and visit him? Or go by train? Was he really that afraid of rejection? He remembered his brother to be kind but with a fiery temperament, would he really be upset by a visit? Had he changed? Would he still love him?

Rising from his seat, he told his lover and friend good night as he passed them by in the hallway, feeling tired and suddenly wanting to be left alone, never noticing the worried looks he was given as he walked upstairs.

…

…

Signing the last paper from the pile he had received today, he sighed and put his pen down.

Was this really what he wanted? Analyze and sign papers all day? Be irritated and take his frustration out on his surroundings? On his loved ones?

He knew for a fact that Kakashi needed him but he couldn't take much more of this. At first he only agreed to take the job to pay off his debts and rent but after meeting Itachi, getting engaged and buying a small house together he didn't really have a reason for staying with the company anymore.

As Sasuke had mentioned before, the Uchihas were rich. He wouldn't have to work since Itachi would be more than capable of taking care of him…

But still, he couldn't help but want to contribute. He hated the feeling of uselessness. He felt like he needed to matter, to be someone who was important and needed. He didn't want to become a leech or a burden, feeling that his unemployment would lead to that.

Also, if he truly did become unemployed then what would he do when Sasuke studied at university and Itachi went to practice kyuudou?*

All of his other friends were working. Should he just stay at home? Cook and clean and prepare a bath for his fiancé every time Itachi came home like an obedient little housewife? ...

No, definitely not. The mere thought of it sickened him and made goose bumps to spread across his skin. He guessed he would just have to develop some kind of hobby or find a more suitable job if he ever did choose to resign.

Staring out of the window of his small office, seeing cars and people pass him by below, he decided to have a talk with Kakashi, knowing his father would know what to do, always being the one to give him good advice in his time of need.

0-0-0-0

Walking toward the elevator, he thought about his options. Quit and make the Uchihas happy but in the process let the company down. Not quit, please the company but make the ravens unhappy. It was hard trying to be the benefit of all, knowing he couldn't please everyone. Who was more important? What did he truly want?

Walking inside the elevator he pressed the button leading up to his father's office on the eighth floor. Seeing his own reflection in the mirror, he couldn't help but sigh at how horrible he looked. It seemed as if the bags below his eyes were getting bags and his tanned skin had turned a paler unhealthy hue.

'_… Maybe I really should quit?' _He thought bitterly and let out a humorless chuckle. _'Or at least get some vacation... I look like shit.'_

Stepping out of the elevator, he walked down the hallway to the office farthest away from him, passing a lot of doors as he went. Raising his hand to knock on the door of his father's office once he reached it, he heard a voice beckoning him inside. A bit shocked, he opened the door and stepped inside, watching his boss give him a little wave in greeting.

Closing the door behind him, he turned towards his father who was sitting behind his desk, a smile undoubtedly decorating his lips despite the surgical mask that covered his nose and mouth, the sparkling eyes being a tell-tale sign.

Kakashi had always worn masks, mostly those physicians wore and some out of a thin fabric, not wanting anyone to see his real face. There were a lot of rumors going on in the business world because of it, speculations about the reasons Kakashi did so and what he may look like.

He was one of the few who knew the truth and had seen Kakashi without his mask.

"So Naru, what can I help you with?" His father asked, the eyebrow above his scarred eye rising slightly in enquiry. "Please, have a seat."

Taking a seat opposite of his father, he stared down at his hands nervously, contemplating on how to begin.

"I…" He began.

"You came to ask me for advice about whether you should stay with the company or not?" Kakashi interrupted softly.

"Yeah…" He said, slowly turning his gaze toward the older man.

"It is quite obvious what you should do, is it not?"

"… What do you mean?" He replied, slightly confused.

"You hate it here, Naru, I can tell. You're always sighing nowadays, looking frustrated most of the time and muttering curses to yourself while you're working. And look at you, soon people might start to think that you're _my_ father."

"Hey!-"

"Do you honestly believe I haven't noticed anything, that I am _that_ blind and ignorant?"

"No, I-"

"You are my son, Naruto, and I love you. You matter a lot more to me than this company. You used to be cheerful and enthusiastic all the time but now I can't even seem to remember the last time you smiled during working hours…" Kakashi continued, a frown marring his face as he spoke. "We've all been noticing it, Naru. You can't even imagine the amount of phone calls I've received from your friends lately, lecturing and demanding me to have you fired or force you to resign. Iruka has even made me sleep on the couch in protest."

He was staring at his father in shock, his mouth and eyes open wide, stunned by the revelations yet somehow fearing their result.

"So, being the great father that I am…, you can consider yourself unemployed." His father finished in a sing-song voice and smiled again, making a strange 'fu fu' sound.

"Eh…?" He breathed, still shocked. "But-"

"Oh, don't act so surprised, Naru. You should have seen this coming by now…" Kakashi interrupted once more, still looking cheerful.

"But what about -" He tried, becoming more worried and aggravated by every statement. He hadn't been prepared for this at all. He had just come here to talk about it and now suddenly he was unemployed… huh?

"Don't worry, everything is taken care of. This won't affect your future careers in the least. All you have to do is to go home, relax and spend some time with your fiancé and friends… and give Iruka a call while you're at it."

Standing there shocked, he couldn't help but stare. His Papa and his friends had…

Shaking his head lightly, not really understanding why he felt so bothered by it all of a sudden, he began to feel relieved and grateful instead. His friends and fathers truly cared about him...and he no longer had to worry about which decision to make. Though, he surmised he would have to find another job soon, still refusing to stay unemployed and play the role of a housewife. Indeed, he would search for some as soon as he was home again, this time for a job he would hopefully enjoy.

Thanking his content father, he left the office and walked out of the building after bidding his co-workers farewell. Before he had left, his father had told him someone would clean out his desk for him so that he would not have to worry about how to carry it all back home.

Breathing deeply once he stepped outside, he slowly made his way down the street. It was a beautiful day, cold but beautiful. Since it was only around noon, he decided to hurry off home and surprise his beloved with the news together with a bouquet of red roses, Itachi's favorites.

The raven had been such as sweetheart to him the last few months even though his aggravation at work was put upon him and he therefore felt it necessary to make it up to his lover, starting by romantically sweeping him off of his feet.

Changing direction, he turned and he walked toward the Yamanaka flower shop.

His friend Ino's family had owned the store for generations and he hoped she was there today to help him. Yamanaka Ino was an incredibly talented florist, her bouquets were some of the most gorgeous ones he had ever seen and she knew all there was to know about flowers.

Seeing her inside through the display window, he thanked his lucky star before opening the door and stepping inside. Every time he visited the place, he was always awed by its inside, and this time was no exception. It was incredibly beautiful and overwhelming.

Flowers in all kinds of shapes and colors were spread out across the room, on shelves, enclosed in glass cabinets with more humid temperatures and in pots and vases on the floor. Despite its many products, the shop neither felt nor looked crowded. There was even a fountain in the middle of the room, which contributed to the peaceful atmosphere along with the traditional interior design and the wonderful scent of flowers.

His female friend was standing by the register farther in the back. Her long blond hair was put up in a high pony tail and bangs covered her right eye in a style that was quite popular these days, her visible left eye shining with a vibrant blue.

Noticing her noticing him, he approached her and gave her a hug in greeting, the life being squeezed out of him in return. It had been a while since he had last seen her, both of them being busy with work lately. Telling her the news that would hopefully change that fact, he received more hugs, and explained the reason for his visit.

Patting him encouragingly on the shoulder when he was done, Ino's cheeks were a bit flushed and her eyes burned with a fire of admiration. To be honest, he had kind of expected the response and feared it a bit as well. Ino had been fan of 'boys love' ever since she found out about him and Itachi, and she often demanded he'd share explicit information with her and tried to give him tips on how to behave in the sack. He, of course, never told her anything of the sort and always hightailed out of her perimeter when the subject was brought up or tried to distract her with other things if he wasn't able to.

Thankfully, she seemed more focused on her work today and he heaved a sigh of relief. As she helped him look at some of the bouquets she had recently put together, he found a large one to his liking, containing 30 beautiful dark red roses, lightly decorated with baby's breath and bound together with a white silk ribbon. Adding a card, he paid for it and left the store, giving his friend a last wave goodbye from the outside before making his way home.

0-0-0-0

Walking toward his house, he opened the wooden gate quietly and walked the few steps leading to the front door. Wanting the surprise to be big, he silently sneaked inside, carefully opening the door and closing it after him.

Removing his shoes, he noticed Sasuke's pair again - black sneakers with white shoelaces. '_What's_ _Sasuke doing here this early?_' He thought, slightly surprised, and put his coat on a hanger before making his way through the hallway, the bouquet firmly in his grasp.

Reaching the stairs which lead to the second floor as quietly as possible, his ears picked up some strange noises. Listening closely, he recognized them as moans and groans. _'What the…'_ He thought and furrowed his eyebrows.

Swallowing audibly, he silently stalked upstairs, the noises rising in volume with every step he made. His mind was telling him to leave, to get out of there, but his heart was determined to find out why the voices sounded like his best friend's and his lover's.

…

**^:_:^ =^_^=**

**And yes, that's the end of the first chapter. Hope you liked it so far.**

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* _Kyuudou_ - Japanese archery.

* As you might have noticed I have spelled ramen – raamen, Tokyo - Toukyou, etc. This is not an error, because it is 'spelled' so in Japanese... Katakana (used for transcribing words from other languages, non-Japanese names, exclamations, etc.) has a vowel extender mark ー (called chouonpu/onbiki or boubiki) which indicates that there should be a long vowel sound in some words, like raamen (ラーメン), while Hiragana (used for words with no kanji, to transcribe kanji, etc.) uses another vowel 'kana' for this purpose, like う for 'u' in arigatou (ありがとう), etc. The reason I've done this is because the story is taking place in Japan (Nihon), so using the real names/spelling for Japanese names/words seem more appropriate. However, I do not put Japanese phrases in my dialogues because not everyone knows Japanese and translating it all would be a bit of a pain, so we'll just have to pretend they're speaking Japanese. =) Do I make any sense? I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. ^_^; *sweat-drop*

**If you have the time and feel like it, please review. It is highly appreciated.**

**Take care. ****Hugs**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters, they are all owned by Masashi Kishimoto, nor do I make money out of writing this.

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**A/N:** Ugh… new chapter.

Here it is.

Enjoy!

**Warnings:** Incest, male/male, angst, etc.

…

"Speaking"

'_Thinking'_

_Reading_

…

…

…

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 2 _

"Ah…" Sasuke groaned as the fleshy length slowly slid in and out of his behind, his muscles burning deliciously every time it retreated, clutching at the intruding member fiercely as it brushed against his inner walls.

Clawing at the sheets, he pushed his ass up higher towards his brother, wanting deeper penetration, to have that gland inside of him pleasurably stimulated. Feeling the head of Itachi's cock graze it on a particular hard thrust, he cried out, his entire body shaking from the pleasurable sensation.

"Fuck… you're always so… damn… tight." Itachi panted as he felt muscles clamp down on his cock fiercely, creating a tight clenching grip around his heated flesh. Slowly and repeatedly penetrating the twitching hole, he savored the sensation of being so intimate with his brother, hearing him mewl and moan, seeing and feeling him twist and arch at his movements, his actions.

So lost in pleasure that neither of them noticed their heartbroken companion a few meters away, watching them through the slightly opened door.

0-0-0-0

'_Always?'_ Naruto thought devastatingly, tears gathering in his eyes. _'This isn't the first time? They've been doing this before…?'_

Never in a million years could he have foreseen this.

'_What_…_? How_…_?' _

'_Why_…_?'_

His hands were shaking so badly that they let go of the bouquet, making it drop to the floor, rose pedals scattering across it.

Startled he turned his gaze towards the bed, afraid that they might have noticed him.

0-0-0-0

"You love having my big… cock… in your ass… don't you… little brother…?" The older man murmured, putting emphasis on the words by thrusting hard, stroking the younger man's cock simultaneously, his hips gyrating and undulating.

The sound of firm hips slamming against a fleshy backside along with wet squelching noises filled the sunlit bedroom, backs glistening as bodies moved in sync.

Sasuke's back was arching tremendously, high pitch cries leaving his throat with every thrust and stroke, Itachi's black tresses sweeping over his back like a drape made out of the finest silk, dancing in the sunlight.

"Ah… more 'Tachi, please..." Sasuke whined, his hands gripping the sheets painfully, knuckles white, body being pushed forward toward the headboard with each subsequent thrust.

Teary eyes watched the interaction, blurry figures moving on the bed he once slept in, his heart clenching excruciatingly with every thrust, moan and word emitting from them. _'Please… stop…'_

Not once noticing him, their bodily sounds smothering his hitching breaths.

"Ah… 'Tachi, I love you… so much." Sasuke panted, stretching his head backwards to kiss his brother, lips glistening with saliva, his pale body meeting his brother's thrusts erratically.

The kiss was passionate, filled with love and lust, tongues battling, gliding along lips and teeth, their mouths wet and their breaths warm.

"Love you too… little brother…" Itachi answered as he broke away from the kiss, panting heavily. Moving his mouth towards Sasuke's neck, he nibbled and kissed it lovingly. Both of them nearing completion, their pace getting sloppier and hasty.

0-0-0-0

Feeling it getting harder to breathe, his lungs desperately fighting for air, Naruto turned to leave, unable to watch them anymore. It hurt, God, it hurt.

With raspy breaths silently erupting from his mouth, he walked toward the stairway, tears falling rapidly. His whole body was aching, shaking from the strain of holding back and staying quiet, the pain so vicious.

Gripping the hand-railing of the staircase, his hands wrenched around it, afraid that he would fall if he didn't, his strength all gone. Slowly he descended, every step ripping him apart, the noises from the bedroom reverberating through the house, torturing his very core.

Choking back a sob, not wanting to make the ravens aware of this presence, he opened the door leading outside and closed it silently behind him before running out into the street. Passing a few neighbors by on his way, he disregarded their worried stares and calls of his name. He couldn't stop, he couldn't stay. Not anymore. He had to run, had to go, he had to get away from here.

Ignoring his protesting muscles, he increased his speed, moving rapidly, the surrounding sceneries all blurred. Finally stopping by a secluded forest much farther away, he hazily walked inside and slumped against a tree, falling onto his knees, allowing himself to let it out.

'_Why?'_ He thought, his throat sore from all the wails and screams escaping it, his voice too weak to be heard.

'_If they love each other as much as they do, why make me stay there with them living a lie?'_

'_Why plan weddings and adoptions when …' _Unable to finish the train of thought, feeling his heart shatter in realization of his dreams being crushed, he gripped the leaves and fir needles on the ground below him tightly, breaking apart.

'_When did it start? How long have they been doing this? Have they always…?'_

'_Was it my fault? ... It was, wasn't it? Everyone always tells me what an idiot I am, I must have screwed up again, right? I must have done something bad, right?'_

'_Was it because I worked too much? Eight hours a day, five days a week?'_

'_Was it because I was less cheerful? Not smiling as much as before?' _

His fingers were breaking through the soil, knuckles white as he kept on pressing. His eyes shut tightly, his breath hitching continually as tears escaped his eyes, trailing down his cheeks.

'_Do they even love me anymore? Did they even love me at all?'_

'_Didn't those years mean anything, to the both of them?'_

'_Have I been fooled this entire time?'_

Thoughts and questions plagued his mind, tearing his heart open, shattering the walls he build up so long ago, pain, pure unbearable pain encrusting him.

'_Please…'_

Everything was spinning, darkness seeping through, covering, voices echoing hauntingly in his head, numbness slowly overtaking his senses.

'_Don't…'_

Spending several minutes on the nippy ground, lying there quietly bent over on his hands and knees, he slowly rose to his feet, supporting himself with his hands on the tree beside him, eyes unseeing and hollow, his legs moving on their own accord, walking away from the quiet little neighborhood, leaving everything behind him.

The chilly temperature created a rosy hue on his tanned cheeks, golden locks framed a face with handsome features, unmarred skin and gorgeous proportions. A fallen angel was walking amongst them but eyes that once shone with life and enthusiasm were now lifeless and dull, destroying the illusion.

0-0-0-0

Gently reaching the stopping-place for the train, he slowed down, silently observing the railroad tracks, watching its pattern run across the field. The grass had turned a withering yellow with bald spots here and there, the rails rusty and frayed, and the cables above them casting shadows on the ground.

Making his way toward the podium, his movements mechanical, he sat down on one of the benches, waiting. For what exactly, he didn't know.

The chilly wind enveloped him as he remained seated, making locks upon his head rearrange, his hair becoming messier. As it kept on blowing, goose bumps began to spread across his skin, a feeling that went unnoticed by the receiver.

'_I can't stay.'_ He thought, feeling numb and hollow. His eyes were struggling to stay open, his body and mind tired, wanting to escape, to forget everything, to deny it ever happening by peacefully slumbering.

'_No…'_ He thought, shaking his head violently, his fisted hands rubbing his eyes, determined to stay awake.

'_I have to go somewhere_, _somewhere else. I can't stay here anymore.'_

'_But… where? Where should I go? I can't stay here…'_

'_Maybe he will-'_

Seeing a blurry motion from the corner of his eye, he whipped his head to the side to see a train closing in from his right. It was the same line he usually boarded for work, one that stopped in the city's center and then continued on elsewhere. Deciding to get on it, he rose to his feet and waited for it to stop, his previous thoughts interrupted.

0-0-0-0

Walking through the wagons he chose a relatively empty one, seating himself with his back toward the window, slumping down in the seat, trying to get comfortable.

Looking through the window opposite of him, his weary eyes watched the place he used to call home, his mind registering the podium, the forests and fields that surrounded them, the place which would soon only be a memory of a painful time, one that he would try his hardest to forget.

Seeing the train move and his former home dissipating quickly, he concentrated on the shifting sceneries, his mind thinking of one word, a word that meant so much and yet so little, a word that was used daily, a word that mostly brought pain once it was said.

'_Goodbye.' _

Turning away from the window after some time, he gazed at his left hand, staring at three-stone diamond ring that decorated his ring finger.

Itachi had given it to him a year ago, the day being one of his happiest. The man had surprised him at work one day when he was working overtime, his office being full of rose pedals as he entered it after having been collecting material from the storage room. Turning around to see if any of his co-workers had remained or merely had pulled a prank on him, he had noticed the long-haired raven kneeling in the doorway, a little blue box in his hand, containing the engagement ring.

He had nearly fainted at the sight.

The oldest Uchiha had looked incredibly beautiful in the black suit he had worn, his hair put up in the usual loose ponytail, his cheeks tainted with a light blush, a smile covering his lips as he knelt on his left knee, the ring beautifully visible as he'd opened the blue box.

The ring was the prettiest and most expensive item he had ever received or laid his eyes on. Despite its many diamonds, it did not look feminine, Itachi having chosen a more masculine and simple design. It was made out of a 14K comprised white gold band with 34 0.30ctw* round diamonds dotting it and a 0.55ctw diamond in its center. At least, that's the figures he had remembered Sasuke telling him, of all people.

He remembered how displeased the younger raven had been when he had found out, ignoring them both for days. At the time he had been thinking that Sasuke thought he would be left out or something, now that they would be spending more time on their own. He had reassured his friend when they had met a few days later, saying that they would all still hang out, as much as he'd want, and that the engagement really wouldn't change anything.

Now he couldn't help but bitterly chuckle at how right and wrong he had been. Sasuke had been worried about being left out but not for the same reasons. Sasuke had been jealous of **him**. The youngest Uchiha had wanted the ring for himself as well as spending more time alone with his own brother, without **him** being there.

Pulling it off of his finger, he put it in the inner pocket of his coat, closing the zipper firmly. He should not be carrying it anymore. After all, what was the point?

He now knew that their relationship had been false. Why keep it and be reminded?

They had deceived him and he had let himself be deceived.

He loved Itachi, more than anything and he probably always would, but those feelings weren't and never would be returned. Itachi loved Sasuke and not him, Naruto. Sasuke obviously loved his brother too.

They both loved each other, in more ways than one…

_Why_ should he be there? What role of importance did he play? Why should he stay?

Shifting his gaze, he lowered his head and let his bangs fall into his eyes, not wanting to attract any unnecessary attention, fresh tears trailing down his cheeks.

He would give it back.

He would give the engagement ring back as soon as he found an envelope, a stamp, a pencil and a mailbox. Today would be the last time he would see them and the last time they would see him. His heart clenched uncomfortably at the thought but he couldn't let them hurt him any further.

He wouldn't survive it.

Digging through his pockets he took out his cell phone and turned it off, not wanting anyone to call him. He would notify his fathers and other friends later, not having the strength to do so at the moment. Putting it back into his pocket, he reached for his I-pod, grateful for a distraction. Pulling it forward he turned it on and put the headphones in his ears, rummaging through his songs to find those he liked that were not depressing, avoiding those suggested to him by two raven-haired males.

Listening, he felt his heartache ease a bit, his mind forgetting about the traumatic event for a little while, the words and voices of the different artists unconsciously comforting him. Resting against the window, he closed his eyes briefly, seeing as only a few people were in the wagon with him but much further away from him.

He breathed calmly, his head shaking lightly due to the heavy movement of the train. Slowly he began to drift off, dreaming lucidly, music vibrating through his ears, lulling him gently. In his lucid dream, he saw himself as a child, around six years old, running after a teenager with strange red hair. They were in a place he couldn't recognize, their surrounding seemingly unfamiliar.

Seeing himself reaching out to grasp the teenager's hand, to make him stop and ask him where they were and why they were running, he missed, the teen running faster and the distance between them growing. Suddenly darkness began to envelope them from the sides, the teen continually running further and further away, leaving him alone in the darkness. Stretching his hand out toward him desperately, he pleaded him to stop, shouting his name.

'K -'

Feeling someone shaking him, he awoke, startled.

"…" A woman was mouthing something, shaking his shoulder firmly.

Pulling the headphones out, he looked at her questioningly.

She was one of the train staff, her black uniform wearing a golden JR-emblem. Noticing the lack of movement of the train, he concentrated on her mouth, listening.

"Sir…? I'm sorry, but this is the final stop." She said, waving a hand in front of his face, her cheeks visibly pink as she blushed profusely, obviously embarrassed by their close proximity.

"Oh, um… sorry… where is that exactly?" He asked and stifled a yawn, confused and disoriented, turning his head to look around him. There were no other passengers around, the wagon being completely empty.

"Haneda, Sir."

"Huh? Oh... thank you." He replied, somewhat shocked, before standing, zipping his coat shut.

"Have a good day, Sir. Thank you for using JR lines." She said, bowing lightly before walking away.

Staring at her retreating back, he slowly turned and walked down the aisle towards the exit. He guessed he must have slept longer than he thought, the airport lying pretty far away from his former home and working place, a couple of kilometers or so.

Stepping out of the train, he observed his surroundings as he strode towards the building closest to it. It had been a long time since he had been here but it thankfully didn't seem too unfamiliar and was pretty sure of how to get by.

Hearing the sky rumble, he raised his head. Dark clouds were covering the sky, a swirling mass above him. The wind had picked up, now blowing vigorously, making people around him cover up, pulling their jackets firmly closed, their shoulders rising closer to their heads in an attempt to get warmer.

The white modern buildings around them contrasted vividly against the dark sky, the place looking somewhat peaceful and unearthly despite the horrid weather. White airplanes could be seen descending and ascending from an enormous landing ground further in the distance, the sounds muted by the raging heavens.

Walking through the building aimlessly, he saw a nice little café to his left called Amatou. Not knowing where or how he should proceed, he decided to stay there for a while. In fact, his stomach seemed to think that it was an excellent idea since it started growling pretty loudly in protest of being empty. Noticing then that he indeed was famished, he walked over to the counter to order something editable.

Watching all of the different foods and desserts on display, he decided to buy something small since he didn't have that much money on him and had no idea where the closest ATM might be.

"Good day, sir." A brown haired girl behind the counter said, smiling and inclining her head slightly, waiting to take his orders. Her hair was put up in two pigtails, a frilly brown and beige apron covering most of her front.

"Good day, um… I would like some mochi ice cream* and a cup of heated amazake*, please." He mumbled awkwardly. So what if he had a sweet tooth? He deserved it after what he had just been through and witnessed. Aside from raamen, sweets were the best comfort food.

"An excellent choice, sir." She replied continually smiling, her teeth pearly white. "What ice cream flavor would you like?"

"Green tea and mango, please…"

"Okay… anything else?" Pressing the buttons of the register, she shifted her gaze toward his face again.

"No, thanks, that will be all." He said, putting on a fake smile as well. He vaguely wondered how often he would be doing that from now on.

"Alright… then… that will be… 600円*, please."

Paying her he went to take a seat, waiting for his drink and snack. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long since his stomach was growling embarrassingly loudly from not having been filled with anything the entire day. _'Shut it!'_ He internally snapped as a few people turned to stare at him.

Ignoring their stares, he turned his gaze toward the entrance he came through. He watched as people hurried inside to get some warmth and comfort while others ran past them to catch their trains, everyone constantly moving. Averting his gaze, he began to observe the people at the café. Some of them were conversing as they ate their food while others sat alone like him; laughter, talking voices, plate and chair scrapings filling the air around them.

Seeing the girl bring his ordered food, his stomach cheered by growling louder which made people yet again turn to stare at him. Blushing once more, while continually ignoring the curious bastards, he turned to the girl for help with a different matter.

"Excuse me, Miss… Ami," He said leaning over his table slightly while reading the name off of her name tag. "Is there a post office anywhere close by?"

"Oh…" She mumbled, blushing as she put the tray down on his table. "Yes, there is one just around the corner outside."

"Oh… thank you." He said and raised his steaming cup to his lips, inclining his head lightly before taking a large sip.

"You're welcome." Giggling, she returned to the counter top, taking other people's orders with that fake smile still in place.

'_Annoying girl…'_ He thought as he continued drinking. _'Humph… reminds me of someone…'_

Taking a bite out of his mochi ice cream, he appreciated the creamy texture as it met with his tongue, slowly savoring the taste of sweetened green tea. As he had expected, it felt strangely comforting, but he knew it would not last for long.

_C_onsuming the delicacies he had ordered, he forced them down into his empty stomach and felt it calm down. Finishing up quickly, he put the tray away before walking outside to look for the post office, wanting to get rid of the ring as soon as possible, the mere weight of it in his pocket being a constant reminder of his misery.

…

…

Climbing off of the bed, he circled it and gathered his brother in his arms before walking over to the adjacent bathroom and gently put him on a small stool on the tiled floor of the shower area.

"'Tachi…?" Sasuke whimpered tiredly, eyes sleepy, hair plastered onto his face, his body slack and slightly bent over at the waist.

"I think we'd better take a bath before Naruto comes home." He answered gently, caressing his brothers tumbled tresses. Reaching forward, he grabbed the shower hose and its nozzle and turned the taps on, checking the temperature before directing the spray onto his brother's back.

Closing his eyes, his sibling relaxed and breathed out, enjoying the feeling of warm water being poured over him. "I'm so tired…" Sasuke sighed, his eyes still closed, shifting occasionally in order to allow him better access to wash him off.

Crouching on the floor, he grabbed a sponge and added some shower gel onto it and began to lather his sibling's body with it, starting with his back and gently sliding downwards until he reached the two supple mounds of flesh. "It's not that surprising considering what we did a few minutes ago." He grinned and teased the cute little opening that was presented to him, making sure it got cleaned too.

"Oi, you pervert, will you quit it…?" Sasuke scolded while yawning, shivering slightly at the sensation. "I'm still sore… and that shit burns…"

He quietly chuckled and threw the sponge at his sibling, letting him do the rest on his own. Grabbing his own special set of shampoo from the nearby shelf, he began to lather his own hair thoroughly, his silky long, dark locks slipping in between his fingers, fingertips gently massaging his scalp.

Walking over to stand beneath the shower head attached to the wall beside his brother, he turned its taps on and let water pour over him, holding his breath as it trailed down his face and body toward the drain. Proceeding to wash his body with gel, he began with his chest, rubbing his hands over it in circles before descending towards his abdominal muscles, scrubbing the crusted cum away. As he went lower, he heard his brother say something but it wasn't clear over the sound of running water so he asked him to repeat himself.

"Do you think I can sleep here tonight?"

He turned to look at Sasuke at that and noticed him squinting at him. His brother didn't seem to have the strength to get to his own apartment, obviously too tired from their rounds.

"Hmm… I don't think Naruto would mind." He said and turned the taps off.

"Hn…" Sasuke grunted, pulling himself up to his feet and stepped inside the steaming tub of hot water, seating himself so that a bit of space was left behind him.

Following his little brother, he sat down in the water behind his sibling and pulled Sasuke's back toward his chest as he lay down, subconsciously closing his eyes as liquid warmth enveloped them both. He could feel the slightly colder surface of the tub against his upper shoulders and neck and Sasuke's wet hair against his collarbone.

Wrapping his arms around his younger brother, he gently raised his right hand to caress the taut stomach that was presented so nicely for his viewing pleasure. Feeling Sasuke's body twitch slightly, he smirked and moved to whisper into his baby brother's ear. "Up for another round already..?" He asked smugly.

"Hn, you wish…" Sasuke huffed.

"Oh? And still I believe it was you who asked for 'more'." He teased, imitating his sibling's voice on the last word, remembering how Sasuke had sounded in throes of passion.

"Asshole…"

"You're offering?" He continued, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Fuck you."

"Maybe next time…"

"Shut up."

"Make me." He dared and encircled Sasuke's flaccid manhood, giving it a gentle stroke.

"Argh… you damn pervert. I'm outta here." Sasuke said before stepping out of the bathtub and bathroom, leaving him chuckling amusedly behind.

0-0-0-0

Walking over to the bedroom closet, he pulled a towel out to dry himself with, wincing at the pain in his lower back as he tried to bend over to dry his legs.

_'That __damned perverted bastard…'_ He thought.

His brother had demanded they'd do it thrice today, being the insatiable asshole that he was, and now his body was suffering from the consequences. Not to mention the fact that Itachi just happened to be bigger than average…

Sulking, he ignored the ache and dried his legs as much as he was able to, only to stop and frown once he noticed a rose pedal lying near his left foot on the floor. Stretching his hand out, already bent over, he picked it up, wondering where it had come from.

Searching the floor he spotted another by the bedroom door. Walking toward it he picked it up before seeing something bigger from the corner of his eye. Turning his head to the side, he caught sight of a big rose bouquet on the floor, a few loose pedals surrounding it. Instantly feeling uneasy he walked over to it, picking it up unsteadily. Seeing the card attached to it, he slowly opened it and read its contents.

0-0-0-0

Watching his brother walk out, he chuckled silently to himself. It was fun to tease the younger man since he always got so riled up. Indeed, Sasuke seemed more like an Uzumaki than an Uchiha at times, he and Naruto being similar in many respects despite their differences.

Stepping out of the bathtub, he dried himself lightly before walking off towards the bedroom, a black towel wrapped around his midsection.

"Naruto!" A voice suddenly yelled, making him stop in his tracks.

Immediately recognizing it as Sasuke's, he felt fear wash over him, thinking Naruto was home earlier than they had expected. Rushing over to his clothes that lay thrown on the floor, he hastily put them on before running downstairs.

0-0-0-0

"Naruto?" He yelled and desperately looked around.

Having run around the house, searching everywhere, he felt despaired. He couldn't find Naruto anywhere. He knew he had been here. He knew he must have seen them, the bouquet proving it since it wasn't there before.

Looking inside the kitchen, he continued to call his name, his eyes prickling uncomfortably.

Oh God, no.

"Sasuke..?" A voice said from behind him, startling him.

Turning around, he spotted his older brother. The fine, long dark hair was wet and dripping and an expression of worry adorned Itachi's face.

"He saw us…" He murmured brokenly, turning away from his older brother to clench the bouquet in his hand tighter, tears forming in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Itachi asked; his voice dark, unamused and worried.

"Naruto was here! ... He saw us and he left this!" He shouted, throwing the bouquet on the kitchen table, making pedals scatter across it. "Just read the damn card!" He finished once he spotted his brother's incredulous stare.

Seeing Itachi pick it up, he turned away again, unable to watch. He didn't want to see the pained look his brother surely would have on his face after reading it. Nor did he want his brother to watch him cry.

It was beneath an Uchiha to cry since crying only were for the weak and it was something their family strongly disapproved of. The more emotionless they were the prouder they became. However, he couldn't help it now. He was afraid. Terrified that his best friend would leave and never return.

0-0-0-0

Seeing the beautiful rose bouquet, thrown and slightly manhandled on the table, he swallowed bitterly to rid himself of the painful and sour lump that had gathered in his throat. Judging by Sasuke's reaction, he knew it would not be anything good.

Picking it up slowly, he took the card off by loosening the ribbon and opened it to read, his pulse audible in his head due to the quickened pace of his beating heart.

_My love, my heart, and my life,_

_I have realized that I've treated you undeservedly recently and I am sorry._

_It was never my intention. For all I want is to see you content and happy, to smile._

_I love you Uchiha Itachi._

_Not only for what you are, but for what I am when I'm with you._

_The day you asked me to be yours was the day I became alive._

_You made me feel like I was someone who deserved to be loved._

_A feeling I have never felt before I met you._

_Thank you._

_Please forgive me._

_Naruto_

Dropping the card, he stepped backwards slowly until his back hit the kitchen wall, his eyes wide and unbelieving. _'No…'_ He thought miserably._ 'Please, Naruto, no…'_

Seeing his brother's shaking back, he turned and walked upstairs, his heart beating franticly, Naruto's words echoing in his mind. Reaching the bedroom he threw the door open before walking over to the pile of sheets, clothes and bedcovers, all scattered and in a mess on the floor around the king-sized bed. Looking through them he searched for his cell phone, determined to call Naruto. Perhaps they were overreacting; perhaps Naruto hadn't been there at all, perhaps…

Finding it underneath Sasuke's pants he picked it up, dialing his fiancée's number, his hand clutching the phone tightly, almost breaking it.

"Hello?"

"Naruto!-"

"Hehe! You thought that was me, right? Sorry to disappoint you but you've reached my voicemail. Please stay tuned to hear The Great Uzumaki-"

Ending the call he threw the phone across the bed in a tantrum, smashing it against the headboard. _'Damn it!'_

Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see his little brother standing in the doorway, leaning against the door. "Voicemail…" Sasuke stated more than asked, his voice raspy. It was evident that he had been crying, his eyes reddened and his cheeks damp.

"Hn…" He replied, walking past him to the stairway.

"What are we going to do…?"

"Find him of course." He said determinedly as he descended.

…

€$¥£ **Information** €$¥£

_*ctw_ = carat total weight (the total weight of the carat).

_*amazake_ = a traditional sweet, low-alcoholic drink made from fermented rice, kind of like a smoothie. It's usually consumed warm.

_*mochi ice cream_ = a confection made from mochi (pulverized sticky rice) with an ice cream filling. Yum!

_*600_ 円 (円/¥/en/yen) = it's about $6.63…

…

**^:_:^ =^_^=**

**And that's the end of the second chapter. Hope you liked it, I know I didn't.**

**Nevertheless, thank you for reading and thank you so much **_XxXItaHinaSasuxXx, xxpotxx, yosu, I Like To Stalk You _**for reviewing.**

**Please review if you have the time and feel like it. As you can see, it's highly appreciated. A review for an author is like the Icha Icha-series for a certain perverted copy-ninja, needed and appreciated. **

**Take care. Hugs =^_^=**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters, they are all owned by Kishimoto Masashi, nor do I make money out of writing this.

…

**A/N**: New chapter.

Sorry for taking so long…

Enjoy ;)

**Warnings:** Language, etc.

…

…

… _(Long double lines) = change of scenery/new scene._

_o-o-o-o (One small o-line) = after a short amount of time __**or**__ change of point of view._

…

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

**Reading**/_**Reading **_(commercial text)

…

…

…

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 3_

Walking down one the streets of Haneda in Otaa*, he resignedly searched for the post office. The girl at the café had told him that it was supposed to be nearby yet he couldn't find it that easily. He guessed it had a lot to do with the streets being so crowded, his view being blocked several times. People kept rushing past him, shoulders bumping into one another, bags flinging everywhere, the movements hectic.

Glancing around himself through the crowd, he observed the store signs. So far all he could see were cafés, restaurants and clothes stores. The wonderful smell of freshly-made food and newly-baked pastries enveloped him as it spread through the air and the chirps of ravens from up above were barely noticeable over the boisterous multitude as he passed it by.

Spotting the post office a few meters down the road, he slowed down his pace, letting a sigh of relief escape his lips.

'_Finally…'_ He thought, the word implicating a lot of things.

0-0-0-0

Opening the glass door, he stepped inside, the bell above it chiming loudly. Giving the male by the register a light inclination in greeting, he looked around the office.

Like most post offices, it was very plain looking. The walls were white and blank with very few things decorating it while cardboards, papers, parcels and other objects were stacked on shelves across the room.

Shifting his gaze, he searched for something proper to send the item in. He didn't want it to be stolen on the way, knowing the ring was important to the older raven, not to mention that it probably had cost him a fortune. As the ring surely would be given to Sasuke to wear henceforth, he also knew that loss of it would be painful for them both, something he didn't want them to have to experience.

He still loved them and he always would.

Despite everything, he couldn't hate them or wish them any harm. While it was something he despised himself for, wishing he could get revenge for what they had done to him, it was just who he was and he couldn't change it. Fighting back the gathering tears, he walked over to the shelf containing parcels in different forms and sizes. Finding a small parcel after comparing a few after a while, he deemed it alright and approached the register.

Paying for it along with a piece of paper and some stamps, he asked for a pencil before striding over to the table across the room in the left corner. He thought he might as well get it over with once he was there.

Writing the address on the parcel, he put the stamps on before tucking the handkerchief-wrapped ring inside along with the paper he had written a message on. Sealing it firmly he walked over the clerk once more, giving him the package before leaving the building.

Once outside, he exhaled deeply, his body shaking lightly, though not from the cold.

He had expected to feel relieved, to have his heartache eased by returning the ring, but such a thing did not occur. The same unbearable pain still lingered. Nothing had changed for the better. In fact, he felt even worse.

Because now he knew that it was final and officially over. There was no turning back and he would never see them again. Never enjoy their company, see them smile, laugh and cry, to be there for them… never again…

It was confirmed, there was no point in denying it or ignoring it. It was over. Ten years of friendship and six years of true love was over, thrown away, shattered, broken by a single action, by those who meant the world to him.

Letting tears that had gathered in his eyes fall, he started walking away, the pain in his chest increasing rapidly. The tears itched and stung as they smeared across his cheeks, the chilly air contributing to the feeling.

Walking quickly, he turned toward an empty alley, needing to be alone in a city crowded with people, needing to let it out once more, unable to hide the pain. It hurt too much, he couldn't stand it.

Reaching the empty and darkened alley, he crouched against the building wall, crying harder, his face hidden beneath his forearms as his hands clutched his hair, his breath hitching terribly. He tried to hold it in, but he couldn't, it was too agonizing.

As seconds passed he began to hyperventilate, his chest twitching as his body bent over lightly on the ground, wheezing noises escaping his lips between sharp indrawn breaths. His right arm was clawing at the concrete, the left holding his throat as pain racked through it, his body shaking in the lone and dirtied alley. He recognized it as a panic attack, having had those many times when he was younger. His mind was just too fragile and it couldn't bear the acknowledgment of the awful discovery and the shock it had suffered beforehand.

Forcing his body to relax, refusing to torment himself this way, he started breathing slower, inhaling less hurriedly, his body calming down.

He had to think more positively. It would be alright. It would be alright.

'_Don't think about it, don't think about it…' _He repeated, like a mantra, calming himself by suppressing the painful events to the furthest reaches of his mind - a process that had helped him many times before. _'It'll be alright_… _don't think about it…'_

Sitting up after a while, he breathed slowly and deeply, inhaling and exhaling. Even though the trembling movements of his body had lessened, they were still noticeable. The tears had stopped their flow, however, and where now only damp remains upon his cheeks, his eyes swollen, red and bloodshot.

Trying to distract himself further in order to make the pain diminish and stay calm, he concentrated on the wall across from him, staring at the enormous poster decorating it. Light blue framed a picture of three guys skiing down a mountain.

_**Follow your dream.**_

**Mild Seven**_*** **_

Observing it, he stared and kept staring.

A few seconds passed before his left eyebrow rose upon his forehead. _'What…?'_

_'…'_

_'That's the worst cigarette commercial ever… Do they really believe anyone would fall for that…?'_

_'Follow your dream…'_ He thought somewhat sarcastically. What did that have to do with cigarettes? Or skiing for that matter? Cigarettes only worsened one's condition; it did nothing to improve it.

_'Besides, I guess you would have to have one to-'_

Freezing in place, he gasped, his eyes opening wide, the stinging pain forgotten.

How in the flavors of raamen could he have forgotten about that?

_'The dream!'_

_'The dream on the train... Kyuubi…'_

Thinking back, he tried to replay the scenes in his head, his mind still unfocused and tired from earlier events.

He had been running, hadn't he?

He had been running after his brother who had kept getting further and further away from him, leaving him alone in the dark. Then the woman of the train staff had awoken him.

What did it mean?

Was his subconscious trying to tell him something? Why would he dream about something like that? Why now?

He doubted it was a coincidence, too many things occurring on this day for it to be one.

The dream, Haneda Airport, the commercial, Kyuubi… it all made sense somehow.

It was as if he unknowingly was being led to his brother. To be reunited with him.

Although he wasn't religious and did not believe in fate, this was just too weird and unexplainable but to be seen as anything but a sign. Perhaps he was just looking for one, for a reason to get motivated enough to do what he had feared to do for ages.

_'But…'_

He couldn't help but to hesitate.

They hadn't seen each other in 19 years, did Kyuubi even remember him?

He knew that he still lived in Obihiro since he looked it up a few of months ago.

He had been reading the daily newspaper in his office when he had spotted a large advertisement in the economic section. About to turn the page, he had noticed the name of the advertiser and suddenly been unable to tear his gaze away. A man by the name of Namikaze Kyuubi from Obihiro, a personal trainer, was promoting a fitness program in the city's local gym and was encouraging people to sign up for it, being one of the trainers to hold it.

Kyuubi wasn't a regular name by any means and since Obihiro was his birthplace, he hadn't been able to disregard the notion completely, thinking that maybe this could be the one he was searching for, his long lost brother. Instantly curious and tired of his paperwork, he had looked it up.

He had searched the net and found the gym's website effortlessly. Having looked at the different trainers at the page, he had spotted Kyuubi's name and picture, the sight of him shocking him deeply. In fact, he had become so shocked that he had failed to notice his co-workers telling him that it was time for lunch, raamen all forgotten as his eyes stayed fixed on the picture.

He and Kyuubi looked frighteningly similar. The shape of the face, nose and eyes were almost identical. Kyuubi just looked a little older, with red long hair and maroon eyes instead of blond hair and blue eyes. However, the thing that made him one hundred percent sure that Namikaze Kyuubi could be his brother was the whisker-like marks across his cheeks. They were marks he and his brother distinctly had been born with and no other case of such an occurrence had ever been reported. Judging by the photograph, the shape, tissue and color were the exact same as his own.

After he had made that discovery he had instantly called the gym, asking questions about the fitness program and the trainers who held it. He had told them that he was interested in the program and that he would like to have Kyuubi as his own personal trainer, but that he knew too little about the man to trust him with such a task. They had then reassured him that Kyuubi was a great guy but ended up giving him his phone number so that he could call the man himself if he still wasn't reassured.

Having had a lot of access as an accountant, he had easily found Kyuubi's address just by searching on his phone number. But once he had found it, he had let it be.

A bit strange perhaps after all the work he had put himself through but he had just been too afraid of rejection. He was terrified that Kyuubi wouldn't be able to recognize him and that he wouldn't want to have anything to do with him if he ever did.

But… did it really matter that much anymore? Now he was alone, without a home, without his precious people. He still had his fathers and other friends, of course, but he couldn't return back home for them. Seeing the Uchihas together, in town or elsewhere, living the life he thought he had would be too painful to observe.

He wouldn't be able to handle it.

He wouldn't be able to heal and move on no matter how hard his fathers and friends would try. He had to start anew, somewhere else. Perhaps Hokkaidou was a good place to start, alongside his brother in Obihiro?

He couldn't possibly be hurt more than he already was, right?

If Kyuubi would reject him then at least he would know and could stop hoping for the impossible. But if Kyuubi would remember him and welcome him then wouldn't that be better than not trying at all? If that person really wasn't Kyuubi but someone that just looked incredibly alike then he could always continue on searching.

Wouldn't that be better than to stay in this depressive condition forever, alone somewhere else?

Contemplating, he stayed seated on the thrown away carton box for a while, silently thinking about the pros and cons for visiting his older brother, his breathing even and calm, the ache within his heart lessening as faint memories were recalled.

Staring down at his I-pod once he decided what to do, the figures of its watch showed 17.55. A part of him vaguely registered that he'd normally be at home by now but the other part ignored it in order to protect his severely damaged heart.

Rising to his feet, he sighed and dusted himself off, proceeding to stroll down the street but this time in another direction, towards the airport.

…

…

Walking downstairs he walked over to the hallway and bended down to put his black boots on. Grabbing his high collar coat off the hanger he put it on as well, waiting for his foolish little brother to finish dressing upstairs.

He couldn't believe his brother had run around the house in just a towel, everyone would have been able to see him naked through the large windows and he'd surely get a cold. Sasuke truly did deserve to be called foolish sometimes.

Seeing and hearing the man in question run down the stairs, he shifted to stand beside the door, making the younger Uchiha hurriedly put on his shoes.

"Can't you wait… for a damn second?" Sasuke asked out of breath, his clothes hastily pulled on and his hair messier than usual.

"No…" He simply replied before opening the door. "Do you think Naruto would…?" He continued, providing his sibling with the unspoken message that Naruto could be far away by now, before stepping outside.

"I'm done. Let's go." Sasuke quickly responded, grabbing his outerwear before running outside.

0-0-0-0

Zipping his black coat firmly closed, he strode beside his older brother. Gazing around him, his eyes desperately searched for a blond haired male, waiting for Naruto to just step around the corner and give them a piece of his mind.

"Should we ask someone?" He issued, seeing as no such thing eventuated.

Maybe someone had seen Naruto as he left the house, maybe they would be able to tell them where he went.

"Hn…" His older brother grunted, obviously agreeing.

The icy-blue sky above them was covered by hazy clouds, concealing the sun, floating past it in a slow motion. The temperature was a few degrees above zero and they both shivered slightly as cold air enclosed their heated bodies, flushes appearing on their equally pale cheeks.

Passing the corner, they spotted Sarutobi Hiruzen, their next-door neighbor. The elder man and Naruto knew each other pretty well, their relationship almost being one of a grandson and grandfather. Since they had moved here, Naruto had always helped the older man with chores and such that the man could not do very well on his own, being in his late eighties.

"Excuse me, Mr. Sarutobi?" Itachi said as he approached him.

"Oh.., Itachi… Sasuke, what can I help you with?" The older man asked as he turned to face them, his little dog Jun barking as he encircled them, waving his tail happily.

"Have you by any chance seen Naruto today?" His brother continued, ignoring the dog currently stroking himself against his feet.

"Yes, I meant to ask you about that… did something happen?" Hiruzen said as he eyed them worriedly.

"No, what do you mean?" Itachi responded monotonously.

"I've never seen the boy like that before… he was utterly devastated. He didn't even respond when I called his name… So you don't know what may have caused it?"

"No." Itachi quietly answered, though pain was evident in his charcoal eyes.

"That is strange… indeed… Naruto wouldn't behave like this unless it was something serious."

"I'm sure that whatever is troubling him will be solved once we find him." Itachi said determinately, hints of red sparkling through the charcoal dark eyes as sunbeams shone upon them.

"Yes… I'm sure it will be…"

"Which… which way did he go?" He inquired once he trusted himself to speak, his heart wrenching painfully.

"… That way…" Hiruzen replied as he pointed to a pathway leading through the forest a few meters away, the tall trees towering over the many houses. "Though, he was running pretty fast so I'm not sure…"

"Thank you." Itachi said as he moved toward the direction. "We'll find him and bring him back, no need to worry."

"Hmm… yes. I'm sure you will. Good day."

"Good day, Sir." They both said as they walked toward the forest, leaving the man and his dog behind.

0-0-0-0

"He's definitely suspecting something…" He told his long haired sibling as they neared the forest opening.

"Hn…" Itachi grunted, totally ignoring his statement, his face turned away from him.

"You don't think he's in there do you?" He continued, raising an eyebrow at his brother in enquiry once said person looked at him.

"No…"

"Then why are we here?"

"Do you remember what happened when Aiko died?"

"Yeah… but what does that-"

"Do you remember what he did?"

"He hid in the…"

"Forest…" Itachi finished for him. "Naruto always seeks solitude when he's suffering, not used to being comforted by others. The forest is big, peaceful and soothing, allowing him to lighten his grief."

"… Did he tell you this?" He asked, slightly shocked at the revelation. He didn't know.

"Yes."

"When..?"

"When I first noticed it a few years ago…"

"…" Why hadn't Naruto told him? Why hadn't he noticed anything?

"So that is why we're here." Itachi interrupted. "He might still-"

The rest was inaudible as his mind blocked it out. How could he not have noticed?

It was true that he'd never seen Naruto cry in public before but he had just assumed that the blond never cried that often. He was always the cheerful idiot he'd known since high school. Even when he was troubled with work and other things Naruto barely changed.

But did this mean that he had been wrong? Did he really know his best friend?

How often did the blond seek solitude? When?

"Does he… does he do that often?" He asked with some difficulty, his mouth suddenly dry as he broke out of his reverie.

"Yes…"

"Why?"

"I believe he doesn't want us to see his weaker side, to see him different from the cheerful person we got to know and cared for, to trouble us with his worries."

"How can he think that?" He asked frowning.

"I don't know… yet I think it has a lot to do with his childhood. As an orphan he might think we'll leave and abandon him if he doesn't live up to our expectations." Itachi slowly finished, putting them both in deep thought, the forest quiet once again.

Walking in silence they searched for their blond companion, observing every movement, every sign. Trees were swaying edgeways, twigs and branches snapping, small animals scurrying along the ground.

"You should call Kakashi… he might know where Naruto is." Itachi said after a while, his dark voice breaking the silent atmosphere.

Pulling his cell phone out of his pant pocket, he dialed Kakashi's number, thinking that it was a good idea and silently scolded himself for not thinking about it earlier.

"Hello?" Kakashi voice answered after a few signals.

"Hi, it's me Uchiha-"

"Sasuke… this is unexpected-"

"Yeah, I know, sorry. I was just wondering if Naruto's still at work…" He figured he'd play ignorant, that way he might be able to get some information instead of getting his ass kicked.

"Oh… eh… no, I actually fired him a few hours ago… I thought he would be home by now…" Kakashi said; amusement evident in his voice yet there was a hint of worry in it.

"No, he's not… You fired him?" That was shocking. He never thought Kakashi actually would do it but apparently… he had… which might explain why Naruto had come home earlier than expected.

"What? Don't act so surprised, you were one amongst the ones telling me to do it twenty-four-seven…"

"Hn-"

"So… he's not home yet? Have you tried calling his cell phone?"

"Yeah, we have… but he seems to have turned it off, we keep getting sent to his voicemail."

"Hmm… have you tried calling Gaara or Sai, he might be with them?

"Hn… no, not yet… but I think I will."

"You do that… and if you still can't find him, then please give me another call, preferably on my cell phone since I'll be leaving soon."

"I will. Thank you."

"No problem, he's my little baby boy after all. See you around. Bye."

"Bye…"

Ending the call, he searched through his contacts, quickly finding and dialing Gaara's cell phone number.

The redhead and Naruto were practically brothers, being as close as they were. Even his siblings Temari and Kankurou considered the blonde as their baby brother, the four of them creating one big happy family.

When he first met Naruto and Gaara in high school, the two had already known each other since middle school. They were always together, rarely separating, something he had found very strange at the time, their different personalities being the cause of it.

For some reason, Gaara was very protective of Naruto and tended to beat the crap out of everyone who dared to hurt him. He had even threatened Itachi when he first started dating Naruto, telling him that if he ever hurt his little brother, dire consequences would follow.

It also happened to be one of the reasons why he was hesitating with the call. If Gaara had found out then hell would surely be upon them.

Listening to the signals while waiting for Gaara to pick up, he stared at his brother across from him. The older raven was leaning against a tree, staring at the icy-blue sky, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere. His posture spoke of confidence and of calmness but his face told a different story. His eyes were holding a grave sadness in their depths, the eyebrows upon his forehead furrowed, showing the emotions he was unwilling to share.

Itachi was hurting and from the looks of it, pretty badly. He rarely let his face show emotions unless Naruto was around, the blond always succeeding in bringing them out. But as they now were alone and his sibling was unable to stay emotionless clearly meant that he was deeply affected by the whole ordeal.

Hearing Gaara pick up, he averted his gaze and concentrated on the task at hand.

"…"

"This is Uchiha Sasuke…"

"…"

"I was wondering if Naruto's with you…"

"… No…"

One word with that cold and threatening voice of his was enough to make him want to throw the phone away and shiver.

"Have you seen him today?" He continued nevertheless.

"… No…"

"Has he called you or anything…?"

"… Why do you ask?"

"Kakashi had apparently fired him today and he hasn't gone home yet. Nor does he answer any of our calls, his phone being turned off."

"… So you thought he came here…"

"Yes, that's why I called, obviously. Has he called you?" He said aggravated, did he always have to be so damn… he didn't even know the word.

"… No…"

"How about Hinata, has he called or visited her?"

"…" Hearing Gaara put the phone down to presumably ask his wife, he waited.

Gaara and Hinata, yeah… that had been pretty shocking for him too once he found out. He and almost everyone had thought that Hinata had been crushing on Naruto, since she always stared and blushed when he was around, but the truth was that Naruto knew about her crush on Gaara so that was the real reason she did those things around him. She was afraid that he would tell his friend or tease her about it, which Naruto of course never did, but it didn't stop her from being nervous around him.

Gaara was also a bit slow when it came to things like that so the guy never really took notice. But when she asked him out one day, after being thoroughly encouraged by Naruto, he shockingly accepted. The two then started hanging out regularly and eventually got together, being together for 6 years now, married last summer.

He himself could never understand what the quiet and shy girl could see in the redhead and why she ever took a liking to him. The guy was a creep, always glaring at you in a way that made you think he was planning to kill you painfully slowly. People who thought the Uchiha death glares were scary had probably never met Gaara before.

Hearing their murmuring voices quiet down and Gaara's grunt in the phone again, he continued.

"Well…?"

"… No…"

"Hn… then if she does… could you please call me, Itachi and Kakashi, we're worried."

"…"

Hanging up, he snapped his phone shut. _'Damn creep…'_

"Kakashi, Gaara and Hinata don't know where he is, am I right?" Itachi said, startling him as he now stood in front of him.

"Yeah… Kakashi finally fired him… that's why he came home earlier…" He trailed off, the sentence too painful to finish.

0-0-0-0

"How about Sai and the others…?" He asked as his little brother quieted down.

"Hn…" Sasuke grunted. "I'll call them as soon as we get home. The reception around here isn't great."

"Hn… I suppose it is better if we split up… you go home and phone your friends, I'll look for him out here…"

"But-"

"Use your brain, foolish little brother… It'll be quicker and more affective this way."

Parting ways after some time of silent protesting from his brother's side, he glanced over his shoulder as he went, seeing Sasuke walking out of the forest toward their house.

…

…

Nearing the airport, he felt nervous. He had finally decided to visit his long lost brother so he had a reason to be but the trip itself also made him want to run in the opposite direction.

He wasn't very fond of airplanes. Or more correctly, he didn't like being in them when they were hundreds of feet above the ground. He had a mild case of Aviophobia, where ascending and landing made him feel dizzy, but he was determined to fly over to Hokkaidou nevertheless.

Seeing the terminal closing in, he picked up his pace a notch, wanting to get there as soon as possible despite his uneasiness. Finally reaching the doors he stepped inside, his heart beating rapidly. Looking around, his jaw dropped.

The place was huge, long corridors with hundreds of windows covering their sides and several escalators rose above him across the room, reaching the many floors. Blue neon lights surrounded the transparent tube-like elevators a few meters away, making them look like vertebra down a spine as they towered up high.

The brown and beige tiled floor glistened, reflecting the lights and sunbeams from up above, and the air was fresh and clean. Signs, billboards and posters covered the white walls, the big characters catching people's attention.

The roof was situated several meters above him, a sun like pattern stretching across it, small round windows and lights encircling it. A metal decoration was placed in the air, in the shape of a swirly wave, which hung close to the elevators and reflected the lights, making different colors dance upon it.

Awed by the sight, he walked slowly, admiring the interior before concentrating on the matter at hand.

Spotting the information center further down, he started walking towards it, at loss of where and how to proceed. He obviously didn't fly that often, train and boats being his primer options.

Reaching the center, he halted. The line was enormous, stretching twenty meters ahead of him to the front. Sighing, he walked over to it anyway and placed himself at the end of it.

'_Just my luck...'_ He thought exasperatingly, his shoulders slumping as he waited.

0-0-0-0

Standing in line for over fifty minutes, he finally reached the counter, now drowsier than ever. Getting the information clerk's full attention, he cleared his throat before speaking.

"Good day… um… I was wondering which flight I would have to take to be able to reach Tokachi-Obihiro Airport."

"Well… that would primarily be Air Do, Hokkaidou's International Airlines, Sir."

"Okay… eh… are there any available seats for a flight today, preferably as soon as possible?

"Hmm… let me check… yes, there are currently five available seats on the flight at 8 p.m. and seven on the flight at 10 p.m." She answered, shifting her gaze between his face and the computer screen while speaking.

"Hn, thank you. How much would a ticket cost for the one at 8?" He said unawares that he had used the typical Uchiha grunt.

"Well, it is usually 20 000円*, I believe."

"Are passports required?" He nervously inquired. Since he had rushed out of the house so quickly, he had left his passport and other belongings behind, making him worry that he might need them right now.

"No, ID is fine for domestic air travel."

Hearing her statement, he sighed with relief.

He figured he'd call Gaara the next day to tell him to get his belongings out of the house and to send a few of them over to him. He trusted him not to tell the Uchihas about his location, especially since he knew that he didn't like them very much. He almost snickered as he imagined how angry his pseudo brother would be once he found out. The Uchihas would indubitably suffer his wrath.

Thinking of them this time wasn't as painful as it was before, his older brothers most likely being the cause of it.

"Approximately how long will the flight take?" He continued as he snapped out of his train of thoughts, now curious about how long it would take before he'd possibly be reunited with Kyuubi.

"To Obihiro… it'll take about 95 minutes…"

"Are the Air Do flights at this terminal?"

"Yes, at gate 15."

"Where should I go to purchase the ticket?" He said as a blush crept over his cheeks. He had only been here once when he was 15, how was he supposed to remember everything?

"It's pretty close… do you see that large blue sign over there, the one where it says Hokkaidou?" She said smiling before pointing at a sign behind him.

"… Um… yeah…" He answered after a while, a lot of people blocking his view.

"Well, it's just beside it."

"Oh, I see… Thank you."

"You're quite welcome. Now is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Hmm… is there an ATM nearby?"

"Yes. There are a few of them actually and the closest one is a couple of meters away from the blue sign. There are also signs over there that show the exact direction, so you won't miss it."

"Oh, thank you. I'm sorry for taking so much of your time, I don't fly very often." He said and scratched himself on the neck, giving her an honest smile.

"Oh, no, I didn't mind. After all… it's my job." She timidly responded as her cheeks flushed.

…

…

"Hello?"

"It's Uchiha Sasuke…"

"Oh, S'ke… what can I help you with?" The man on the other side of the phone said, probably smiling that fake smile of his.

"I told you not to call me that, Sai. I'm looking for Naruto."

"Oh, little Naru… hmm, the blond, fluffy-"

"Is. He. There...?" He slowly articulated, interrupting the other male, his tone threatening. He was getting increasingly aggravated by every minute, tired of calling all of Naruto's friends without any results in finding his best friend.

"Why would you like to know?" Sai continued in the same carefree tone.

"Just tell me, Sai. Or I swear I will-"

"You'll what? Send your big bad brother over here to kick my ass since you're too much of a pussy to do it yourself?"

"…. That's clever coming from someone who hides behind Sakura twenty-four-seven…" He countered, trying his hardest to stay Uchiha-like and not verbally beat the shit out of the raven-haired painter.

"Hmm… why am I not surprised you compared Sakura to Itachi..?"

"… What the hell's that suppose to mean?"

"Like you don't know…" Sai's tone had suddenly turned from carefree and amused to monotone.

"For fucks sake, Sai… Naruto's missing." Sasuke said, tired of his games. He knew that the painter suspected the two of them of infidelity, though the man had never said it out loud, always insinuating it, as if wanting to have it confirmed by them.

"…What…?" Sai slowly questioned, this time in a more worried tone.

Sai and Naruto were also pretty close, though not as close as himself and the blonde, but close enough to make him hate the other male more than he already did.

Apparently, they had met each other in college, the two of them having a few classes together and staying in the same dormitory. At first they hadn't gotten along, Sai calling Naruto 'dickless' and Naruto beating him up for it, but eventually they had become friends. He never found out how or why but he guessed it had a lot to do with the blonde's kind personality.

He himself never liked Sai, the painter being fake and manipulative. The only reason he ever put up with him was because of Naruto, him being their common associate. Frankly he wanted nothing more than to punch that fake smile off of his face.

Snapping out of his unfriendly train of thought, he continued."Kakashi fired him several hours ago yet he never went home. He doesn't answer any of our calls since his cell phone's turned off and no one has seen him. If he's there-"

"He's not… and he hasn't called either."

"How about Sakura..?"

"No, I don't think so... We've been together the entire day, I should have noticed if Naruto called her. Oh… wait… hang on a sec; Sakura's trying to tell me something…" Hearing him put the phone away to listen to his girlfriend, he sighed, threading his fingers through his spiky hair, waiting for him to finish.

He had been calling people around for hours, desperately trying to find Naruto. So far none of Gaara, Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru or Iruka had seen or heard from him. The latter getting close to hysterical as he told him, though Kakashi had calmed him down saying that Naruto could be at Sai's or Ino's since he hadn't called them yet.

But with every call he made and every negative result he got, his agitation grew. Where was he? He couldn't just have taken off, could he? Where could he have gone? As far as he knew Naruto didn't know anyone besides the gang and Itachi whom he could have stayed with.

0-0-0-0

"…Still there?" He asked.

"Yeah…" The Uchiha answered a bit startled.

"Well, I just found out some pretty interesting news…"

Giving his girlfriend a kiss goodbye, he watched her leave to visit her blonde female friend. Turning away from hallway and stepping into their bedroom, he gripped the phone tighter and seated himself on the bed.

"What kind of news…?" The Uchiha questioned impatiently.

"Apparently Ino had called Sakura today telling her that Naruto had stepped by her flower shop a couple of hours ago…" He said, deliberately stalling to make the Uchiha sweat.

"And…?" Sasuke pressured.

"She said that he had purchased a bouquet for Itachi and that he left to catch his train… now, isn't that strange?"

"…What do you mean?"

"He was last seen going home yet you tell us he never arrived, correct?"

"Eh… yes?" The Uchiha answered, sounding confused.

"Are you really sure he never came home?"

"Of course I am, what-"

"Because are you sure you're not just saying that to keep the real reason for his absence at bay?" He issued, pretty certain of what his best friend might have seen.

"No, what-"

"Are you sure Naruto didn't catch you doing something he wouldn't have seen eye to eye with?"

"What the hell are you saying?" Sasuke snapped through the other end, seemingly baffled.

"I'm saying… are you sure he didn't see the two of you fucking?" There, he said it. No more games.

"…Excuse me?"

"Don't give me that shit, Uchiha. You know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't! How dare you accuse me of-"

"Shut the fuck up, Uchiha. I saw you two at New Year's Eve." He hissed, the foreign feeling of rage slowly enveloping him.

"…What?"

"In the bathroom you 'oh so ignorantly' forgot to lock."

"I… I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Oh? Then let me remind you. Itachi had his dick up your ass against the bathtub while you begged him to fuck you harder."

"…"

"You two snuck out while Naruto entertained the guests, believing no one would notice. After all, the loud music would be enough to cover up your cries of pleasure, now wouldn't it?"

"…"

"But you were so involved in each other that you forgot to lock the door, not even noticing me stepping inside to walk out again."

"…Why haven't you-"

"You mean why I never told Naruto? Because… I couldn't look him in the eye and tell him that he was being cheated on by his best friend and lover…. It would have killed him and he most likely wouldn't have believed me. "

"…"

"Now I regret not doing so because at least then he could have been forewarned, he could have been spared of some of the heartache he's undoubtedly experiencing. That is my failure as a friend, but it is not even comparable to your treachery."

"…"

"Do you have any idea of what he might be feeling right now? Do you even give a damn?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then how could you do that to him?" His voice got louder as his anger grew, yet his tone managed to stay emotionless.

"Because I love him, alright!"

"…" He was pretty sure a vein just popped. What did he say?

"I can't help it… I don't know why I…" The Uchiha helplessly sighed.

"I don't give a shit about your feelings for your brother. All I want to know is why you two tricked him into believing your little lie." He said as an image of a brokenhearted and devastated Naruto appeared in his mind.

"Because we love-"

"That's a lie and you know it."

"No, it's-"

"If you'd really loved him then you would have told him. Naruto would have understood despite how twisted and absurd it may have seemed. Did he ever give you a reason to doubt him?"

"No… But don't try acting like a saint, you didn't tell him either…"

"Don't you dare try and compare my mistake to yours. I admit I acted wrongly and I hate myself for it, but you…. You do not deserve the title of 'best friend', for a real one would never betray him like this… "

"…"

"That party was a year ago… how long have you two been doing this?"

"…"

"What? What was that, I couldn't hear you?" He mocked as he heard the Uchiha mumble incoherently.

"That's none of your fucking business."

"No, it's not. But it is Naruto's and as his friend it becomes mine."

"…"

"Tell me, Uchiha." He threatened.

"… Three years…." Sasuke finally sighed through the receiver.

"…" _'That's before the engagement...'_ Feeling his grip tighten on the phone, his body shook from suppressed rage.

How dare they… how dared they do that to him?

He couldn't even remember the last time he had ever felt this mad. Hell, he didn't even remember being this mad before. But he couldn't help it, how could they have hurt Naruto this way? Naruto, who cared about everyone else's welfare before his own, Naruto who never backed down on his word, Naruto who never lied and never hurt a soul… how dared they?

"I didn't know what… how I should have…" Sasuke mumbled, snapping him out of it.

"You should just have been honest with him, told him the truth!"

"…"

"Naruto loved you, both of you. He wouldn't have been disgusted by it, he would have accepted it. But you lied, you made him believe in something that did not exist, playing with his feelings for your-"

"No! We never-"

"But that's what you did! He thought he was going to get married, to adopt! You know how ecstatic he was to become a father and now you've ruined it for your own selfish gains!"

"No, I-"

"Just shut up. What could you possibly say to-"

"We never meant to-"

"Of course you didn't. Cheaters never do. But that doesn't change the fact that it happened."

"We-"

"You say we, yet you're not Itachi. How do I know he even cares?"

"He does, he loves him…"

"Yet he turned to you. Was Naruto not good enough for him, he had to have two people to fuck?"

"Shut up. You know nothing about-"

"I don't care. Your feelings do not justify your actions. Naruto is out there now, alone and heartbroken, with no one to turn to!"

"What… should we do…?" Sasuke asked after a while, his voice hoarse and desperate.

"You shouldn't do anything, for I am convinced that Naruto wants nothing to do with either of you."

"No, he-"

"Do you honestly believe he would forgive you for this? You, his best friend since high school slept with your brother, his fiancé whom he had loved for years."

"…"

Hearing the Uchiha presumably cry at the other end, he refused to feel guilty.

Did they honestly believe they'd never get caught? That they could continue with their affair even after the wedding and adoption? That they'd keep Naruto blissfully ignorant by their side?

He was being the thoughtful and nice one because he doubted that the others would even let the Uchihas try to defend themselves. Gaara, Iruka, Kakashi, Neji and Kiba would go straight for the kill once they'd find out, and yes, he would tell them indeed.

Hanging up he walked over to his desk and pulled out his phone diary beneath all of the sketches splayed upon it. Opening it he turned the pages and quickly found the number he searched for before picking the phone up once more, dialing the chosen number.

…

€$¥£ **Information** €$¥£

_*Otaa = One of the 23 wards/districts of Toukyou. Haneda Airport is located inside of it._

_*Mild Seven (Mairudo Sebun) = a Japanese cigarette brand._

_*20 000_ 円_(_円/¥/yen/en)_ = It's about $218._

_/Oh, and as you might have noticed the characters sometimes seem extremely formal and polite when they talk but that's just because people in Japan normally are polite and formal, especially when talking to elders and strangers. ;) *admires*_

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**^:_:^ =^_^=**

**And that's the end of the third chapter. Hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. **

**Thank you, all of you who reviewed. You made me laugh, cry, blush and smile at the same time.**

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**Please review if you have the time and feel like it.**

**I appreciate it if you do. Thank you.**

**Take care. Hugs =^_^=**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hisashiburi desu… soretomo irasshaimase! Sorry for taking soooooo long, but school's been a major bitch, and it'll stay that way for some time now.

I'm also sorry about the ruckus with the format earlier, but I managed to fix it. I hope you like this better, if not then tell me and I'll change it back. )

**Gomen nasai, minna-san. *bows***

Douzo! ;)

**Warnings:** Language, abuse, etc.

…

"Speaking"

'_Thinking'_

…

…

… _(Long double lines) = change of scenery/new scene._

_o-o-o-o (One small o-line) = after a short amount of time __**or**__ change of point of view._

…

…

…

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 4_

Drying his long grayish hair with a fluffy orange towel, he stepped out of the sea-green tiled bathroom into the adjacent bedroom, steam rising around him as the cooler temperature enveloped his body.

He had thoroughly enjoyed his bath, a little disappointed that his honey bun had refused to join him, but satisfied nonetheless. The warm water had worked wonders on his stiff and aching muscles, soothing them as he relaxed to an extent.

He was trying his very hardest not to think about his son. Shrugging it off by telling himself that it wasn't that unusual, that people did this all the time, that Naruto only had been gone for a couple of hours, that he may call or show up at any time. Yet still the uneasiness within him remained and seemed to grow.

His lover's reaction to it all had only added to the discomfort. Iruka had been running haywire since the Uchiha's call and it had taken him a lot of time and persuasion to calm his beloved. He had insisted that their son was alright, that he might be with his friends since Sasuke hadn't called Sai or Ino yet when he had notified them. But Iruka still didn't believe him, phoning Naruto several times, which finally resulted in him forcefully taking the phone out of his grip and keeping it hidden from his reach. That also happened to be what caused the lonely bath. Iruka thought he was neglecting their son and therefore refused to give him the pleasure a shared bath would provide.

It was true that he could seem neglectful as he stayed calm and kept his good humor but that was only an outward mask, a facade he showed others in order to remain strong and stable in their eyes. Of course he was worried, he could he not be? He loved his son and he couldn't bear to see him hurt or sad but he had to stay strong for his family.

Indeed, if Iruka saw him crumble then what would stop them from breaking apart?

Someone had to be strong, to guide and help the ones who were weaker. That's how it was and always would be. In their family the role was his to take and his to bear.

He couldn't let his family fall apart, not for something that was still uncertain. After all, Naruto could still be alright at someone else's. He could just have been running low on cell phone battery or have gotten drunk himself and ended up staying at some hotel…. there were a lot of possible options. Perhaps they were just overreacting and soon Naruto would call and tell them how ridiculously they were behaving.

But… as much as he wished for that to happen, a large part of him didn't think it would. Naruto was just not that kind of person to disappear without a word and it was beginning to make him believe that maybe he was the one to blame for all of this. Perhaps Naruto had been more offended by the discharge than he had thought. Though, when they parted ways he hadn't seemed angry or sad just relieved and grateful, his eyes a little brighter as that goofy smile decorated his lips.

Had he faked it all? Had he simply put a mask on his face while his mind in actuality was reeling?

Was his son really hurting because of his actions? Out there alone?

Had he really failed as a father?

The thoughts made his heart clench painfully as light tremors spread through his entire body all the way out to his fingertips, his breath caught in his throat.

Slowly stepping across the room to the double bed as he felt his knees grew weaker, he slumped down on it, lying down on his back to stare at the white ceiling, ignoring the way the fabric stuck to his wet skin, a towel carelessly wrapped around his waist.

Pushing the thoughts and feelings aside, telling himself to be strong, he sighed and reached for the clothes that lay prepared behind him, pulling the pair of pants and boxer briefs toward him. Rising to put them on, he let the towel glide off to gather around his feet before kicking it away from him. Stepping inside his pants after having put the briefs on, he heard his cell phone go off down the hall.

A bit shocked, he took a few steps toward the direction before realizing his current state. Tripping over the pants down his ankles, he cursed as he hit the ground.

"Iruka…? Iruka, can you get that…?" He shouted, rising to his feet with some difficulty.

"I'm on it!" His lover answered from the living room.

"Put it on speaker-phone!" He shouted once more, out of breath this time as he hurriedly tried to pull his pants on.

Running out of the bedroom, he turned toward the kitchen where he had left the phone, hearing his husband talk to someone.

"Sai! Thank heavens you called. Is Naruto over at your place?" He heard Iruka exclaim with relief as he reached the kitchen entry.

"No… unfortunately, he's not…" The raven hesitantly responded through the speaker-phone of his cell phone on top of the kitchen counter.

"He's… not…?" Iruka murmured dejectedly, his face scrunched up in worry as he observed the Sharp W62SH.

"Iruka…" He softly called as he slowly walked over to him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders from behind. "It's okay…. let's hear what he has to say." He gently told the brunet before kissing him on the cheek and pulling him tighter against his naked chest. Feeling his lover relax into the embrace, he as well turned to observe the phone.

"Well, Sai?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you… but there's something I have to tell you…"

"What is it?" He inquired as he lightly caressed the sides of his lover's upper arms, trying to make him relax further and to keep the uncomfortable growing feeling in his gut at bay.

"It involves Naruto…"

"What is it..?" He repeated, tensing in anticipation and unease.

"I think I know why he left…"

"He… left…? Sai, tell us what you know." He interjected, his voice rising in volume. Iruka had gone as stiff as a ramrod against him, obviously trying his hardest not to panic. Hugging him tighter, he waited for the painter's response.

"…The reason Naruto's unreachable is because…. Itachi cheated on him." Sai said after a couple of silent seconds.

"What…?" He and Iruka both panted out, shocked by the revelation. They had certainly not expected that. Itachi had what?

"… Naruto witnessed it as he came home earlier today-" The painter continued only to be interrupted.

"Came home? Sasuke told us he never did!" Iruka shouted as he broke away from his hold, face reddening in anger.

"He lied..." Sai announced with a slightly bitter tone.

"Those… bastards!" Iruka proceeded to shout. "We've known those two since Naruto befriended them, how could they do that to him?"

"I'm afraid that's not the worst part…." Sai interrupted, sighing through the receiver, probably rubbing the sides of his forehead or something similar to it.

"What do you mean?" He enquired as the statement made the unease flare within his gut, worry crawling over him in waves.

"…..The person who Itachi cheated on Naruto with is not unknown….."

"…What…Who…?" Iruka asked, his tone a mixture of shock and anger as he stopped his fervent pace around the room to stare at the phone.

"….Sasuke…" Sai quietly confessed, the answer most likely being pulled out of his mouth considering the long pause.

"Wha-What…?" Both he and Iruka simultaneously stuttered, choking on air, shocked beyond belief, thinking that they'd probably heard wrong.

"Is…is this some kind of sick joke-" Iruka tried before Sai disrupted him once more.

"No, it's not."

"But… what… how… I…" Iruka mumbled, voicing out the same words currently circling inside his head.

Sasuke and Itachi, the Uchiha brothers, Naruto's best friend and fiancé…. had an incestuous relationship…..? What in the world?

"How do you know that-" He tried, licking his suddenly desert dry lips, struggling to form a sentence.

"How do I know that it's true? That Naruto actually saw them?"

"Yes." He said a little harsher than intended but he didn't give a damn at the moment.

"…..When Sasuke called me I immediately suspected something was wrong. He told me that Naruto hadn't come home and that they were looking for him. At first I had no idea what actually might have happened, well, I could have guessed it later on but at that moment it didn't strike me. However, when I talked to Sakura she told me that Ino had phoned her earlier and told her that Naruto had stopped by her shop a few hours before Sasuke's call to buy a bouquet for Itachi and that he had left in a hurry to catch his train." Sai rapidly explained, pausing at times to catch his breath.

Iruka tried to cut in but failed as he stepped forward to hush him, gently cupping his cheek. "Love…" He cooed, knowing the nickname would help his lover pay attention as he never used it in public, gazing into the shiny brown eyes.

The only thing they could really do now was to really listen. Sure, inside he was fuming like a teapot but screaming and going ballistic before they had every last piece of information wouldn't help anyone, especially not their son.

Embracing him once more, he told Sai to continue and the raven obliged.

"Well… that's when I started to put the pieces back together… Naruto would never disappear like this and tell no one unless something really bad had happened, meaning that something undoubtedly had. I instantly suspected Itachi of being the perpetrator so I tricked Sasuke into telling me everything…. slowly drawing it out by putting up traps along the way… I never expected to find out about that, though." Sai continued, his tone of voice changing from time to time, most likely unable to stay emotionless.

"What did he tell you?" He inquired, trying his hardest to calm himself and his lover down, the task however seeming more impossible by every statement.

"That Naruto did see them and…that they've been doing this for three years now…"

"…"

That was the final blow for both of them, especially Iruka. He stormed out of the kitchen, his face put in a furious scowl, ponytail swaying behind him.

Watching him go, he grabbed his phone and told Sai that he would call him later, hanging up as he walked after his raging lover, ignoring the painter's last protesting words.

His own hands shook from suppressed rage and disgust, his every fiber fighting the urge not to slay the Uchihas in the most horrendous way imaginable as he grabbed his clothed mask and jacket before walking out the door.

…

…

The time at the airport went by in a hurried motion, he barely remembered buying the ticket and checking in, but there he was, sitting on one of the black leathered benches, waiting for gate 15 to open.

It was only about an hour or so before the plane would take off, the thought making his stomach feel like as if someone was wrenching it painfully slowly. He couldn't believe he was doing this. That he was going to see his older brother, the brother he had admired for such a long time, the brother who had always protected and taken care of him, Namikaze Kyuubi.

Shifting his gaze from the large windows in front of him to his hands on his lap, he could see the tremors going through them. God, he was such a wreck, though who could blame him?

He was so tired, so incredibly tired, and in more ways than one. His eyes ached from the strain of keeping them open as they stayed at a half-mast position and yawns kept escaping his lips every now and then. He knew that the possibility of falling asleep on the plane was very high as his every muscle protested against his current state of awareness. A part of him was grateful for the drowsy condition as it undoubtedly would help him forget about his Aviophobia and thus make the trip easier and more pleasant in the process. However, seeing as his body was shaking, he still had not forgotten what he was about to board in a few minutes.

Observing the big clock on the wall further down on his left side, he watched it strike 19.15, the crimson numbers shining through their pitch black enclosure. Shifting his gaze toward the gate again, he noticed it still hadn't opened.

Cursing, his hands turned to claw at the dark dress pants nervously, trying to make them stop shaking. Despite his phobia, he was anxious to get away from everything that made his heart ache. He just hated that feeling. He wanted it to ease and disappear. No matter how numb he felt himself become, the pain would always return as he recalled the event and the painful memories connected to it and he was getting tired of it.

Deep down he knew these feelings would linger for days, months and years, always there to remind him of how much of a fool he really was. Because that was what he really was, wasn't he?

He had been so stupid to think that they actually loved him. That he was going to get married and adopt. That he had a best friend. Clearly, he had only been played with, manipulated and deceived. Now, he finally understood.

They had used him as a cover up for their incestuous relationship. People wouldn't suspect them with it if one of them was in another relationship now would they? They could just fuck away and no one would notice, not even their stupid little pawn who obeyed their every little command, too blissfully ignorant to notice the constant limping of his best friend.

Feeling fresh tears escape his tired and sore eyes, he quickly wiped them away, wincing as it stung. No more. He wouldn't give them his tears, they didn't deserve those anymore.

Seeing people line up in front of the gate, he rose from the bench to walk over to the queue as well, ready to leave Honshuu*.

…

…

Walking rapidly toward the parking lot, he shook from rage. His fists kept clenching and unclenching as they swayed beside his hips, his legs moving quickly over the cobblestoned pathway.

He couldn't believe this. He couldn't believe this at all.

How could Itachi and Sasuke do this? They were Naruto's most precious people. Naruto loved them more than anything and this was how they treated him?

Deep down, he knew he should have been more disturbed by their incestuous ways, but all he cared about at the moment was their treatment of his son. Why would they lie to him? Why would they make Naruto believe that he was in a serious relationship when he in fact was not? That he was loved and had a wonderful future ahead of him?

Damn them.

Hearing his husband's distant calls from behind, he increased his speed, getting closer to their red Toyota Camry, unwilling to slow down as his determination to make the Uchihas pay was at its highest peak.

0-0-0-0

Seeing Iruka practically run to their car, he tried to make him slow down by shouting his name, his mind having a hard time thinking rationally but still knowing that if he let go of all control then Naruto would not forgive him. Seeing as his calls were ignored, he picked up his pace, deciding to catch up. Running toward his long time lover, he ran past stone walls and bushes, gravel spluttering around his feet.

Gripping Iruka's shoulder to make him stop once he caught up, he held on tightly, making the brunet come to a halt.

"Let go, Kakashi!" Iruka yelled, struggling to get away. "I won't let them get away with it!"

"I'm not saying that they will but you have to calm down, do not rush things."

"I won't wait!" Iruka loudly protested, struggling more fiercely against his hold, wrenching his body around to face him.

"I never said that you should. I merely want us to go there together." He stated in a serious tone as his only uncovered eye stayed fixed on his husband's face, reading the expressions that formed upon it. "Do you honestly believe I'm not affected by this?"

"….Fine." Iruka sighed after a couple of seconds of gazing into his visible eye, probably seeing his genuine feelings towards his son's misery in its depth. "But I'm driving…" His husband almost pouted, crossing his arms over his chest in a slightly childish gesture.

"No, you're not." He determinedly stated, recalling the last time Iruka had driven whilst being upset, nearly causing them to fly off a bridge. Internally shuddering, he walked past his lover toward their car, switching the burglar alarm off before inserting the keys and stepping inside, Iruka following closely.

…

…

Reaching the front door, he tediously walked toward it, his steps heavy and his mind likewise. He had searched through the entire neighborhood and had yet to pick up a single trace or possible lead on his fiancée and his whereabouts.

Opening the door in stiff motion, he quietly stepped inside before turning around to close it. The house was quiet and eerie, darkness creating looming shadows around certain objects and furniture as no lights were turned on, the place resembling a cemetery more than a house.

Hearing a distant shuffling sound, his ears concentrated on the foreign noise and he slowly walked toward its origin, deeming it to be his little brother on the second floor. Reaching the staircase step by quiet step, he heard the shuffling noises rise in volume. Climbing upstairs with his hands on the railing he descended, eventually reaching his bedroom door with light seeping through the chink below.

Pausing just outside, he listened for any signs of acknowledgment. Hearing none, he slowly stepped inside before gasping at the sight that was presented to him.

Sasuke was sitting on the parquet floor, his back against the king sized bed, his eyes furrowed and focused on his own feet. However, the reasons his breath hitched were the bloodied knuckles and the hole on the wall just beside him, deep and dotted with blood.

What in the world had his foolish little brother been up to while he was gone? And why would he hurt himself in such a way?

Stepping over to him, he crouched beside him but got no response whatsoever. Cupping his brother's cheek with his left hand, he gently pulled his face towards his own, forcing him to acknowledge his presence.

"Sasuke?" He murmured, noticing the damp trail that ran across his brother's cheeks.

Getting no verbal response this time either, only a flicker in his eyes, a small movement within their dark depths, he wrapped his arms around his sibling. Pulling him into a hug by gently tugging him toward his chest, he began to make soothing sounds and whispered assuring words, trying his outmost to comfort his baby brother like he had done for so many years. Reaching behind him with his right arm, he pulled the bedspread down, covering it around them both before taking a hold of the edges to carefully dab at the small wounds on Sasuke's hands.

Wiping the blood off, he waited a couple of minutes before trying to verbally communicate with Sasuke again, calling his name softly as he lightly rested his chin upon his head.

"Sasuke…?"

"…They know…" Sasuke quietly answered after a few silent seconds, his voice surprisingly steady.

"About?" He softly questioned, already suspecting who 'they' were.

"…..Us…" His little brother responded; his voice suddenly strained.

"How?"

"Sai saw us at New Years Eve…"

"And he told everyone…" He reasoned, the uttered sentence more of a statement than a question, though his brother answered him anyway.

"Not until recently…"

"I see…"

"…..I'm sorry…" Sasuke murmured as he tensed up against him once more. Though whether it was out of fear or sadness was beyond him.

"It is not your fault, little brother… We are both to blame for this."

"….. Will he forgive us?"

"…..I don't know, Sasuke….. I don't know…" He mumbled, the words excruciating to form as he desperately wanted to tell him otherwise, but knowing that they were true.

Sitting there quietly, enjoying each other's warmth and comfort, they clung to hope. Hoping that their loved one would come home and that he would forgive them, that they would start anew and that everything would be alright. A part of them knew that they were deluding themselves yet the voices were ignored as they only brought more pain, something that neither of them wanted to experience for long, especially when there still was some hope left.

0000

Hearing and feeling his brother's deep and even breaths, he knew that Sasuke had fallen asleep, curled up against him. He realized he must have fallen asleep as well as his arms around the smaller form had gone numb, a prickling and painful sensation going through them as they shifted from their position. Wincing slightly, he slowly pulled them to lie at his sides, careful as not to wake his brother as his head still rested upon his chest, Sasuke's breath fanning over his collarbone.

Titling his head backwards until it hit the bedstead, he sighed, feeling powerless and at loss. What should he do? How should he proceed?

Just as he was about to move, he heard the doorbell chime, the loud tone making the resting male groan and shift about. Seeing as the person outside was quite persistent and as his mind hoped for the best case scenario, he gently yet quickly lifted his brother off of him and onto to the bed before rushing downstairs toward the entrance door once his brother did not wake up.

Almost uncharacteristically stumbling over the hallway rug, he pulled himself together before reaching the door, his heartbeat loud both due to anxiety and exhaustion. Quickly opening it to look outside, the shocking sight wrenched a gasp out of his mouth.

Turning his head to the left just in time, he avoided the flying fist aimed at him. Furrowing his eyebrows at his "parents-in-law", he backed up into his hallway before demanding an explanation.

"What is it you think you are doing?" He asked with a threatening tone, not appreciating being subjected to violence without a reason.

"Shouldn't we be asking you that question, Uchiha?" Kakashi fiercely remarked, holding his struggling lover around his midsection from behind as Iruka kept trying to rush forward.

"That depends on what you're referring to…"

"How's sleeping with your brother?" Iruka venomously spat, his clenched fists shaking, looking ready to pummel him at any moment.

"How about we discuss this inside?" He told them before stepping aside to let them enter, not wishing any neighbors to overhear.

Getting no reply but seeing the Hatake-Umino pair swiftly walk inside, he took a quick peek outside before shutting the door as no bystanders could be seen.

Turning around, he half expected to be punched again but seeing the pair further down the hall he concluded that the beating might come later. Walking toward them, he leaned on the wall opposite of the two, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded them.

"Where is Sasuke?" Kakashi said, breaking the silence.

"Sleeping." He curtly answered.

"Ah, in Naruto's bed obviously…" Iruka scoffed with disgust. "Did he fall asleep after you fucked him?"

"Not that that's any of your business… but no, he fell asleep from exhaustion." He glared, trying to stay calm despite their angering accusations.

"Oh, what..? From sucking your cock?" Kakashi unabashedly spat, his visible eye crinkled in anger as the eyebrow above it furrowed.

Seeing red, he did his best not to lash out at the pair, fury starting to bubble within. Putting up the worst glare he could muster, he stared at them viciously before speaking. "Get out."

"No, I don't think I will." Kakashi countered, unfazed. "This is Naruto house too, isn't it?"

"Then tell me whatever it is you want to say and leave."

"How could you do that to him?" Iruka hissed, his body shaking, tears gathering around the corners of his eyes.

"….It wasn't intentional." He confessed with the glare still in place.

"Not intentional, then what the hell was it! Did you just wake up one day deciding to screw your brother behind your lover's back?" The brunet yelled distraught, tears trailing down his cheeks at this point. "He loved you more than anything, how could you?"

"I…." He began, a lump forming itself in his throat, pain and guilt washing over him like a ton of bricks. "I never meant to-"

"Never meant to? You 'never meant to' for three fucking years?"

"I-"

"Brother?" A voice spoke from behind, starling everyone in the room.

"Sasuke," He said as he turned around to face his sibling, seeing him ruffled and as perky as a zombie. "Go back upstairs." He softly ordered, his glare gone.

"No." Kakashi interfered, looking at them both unamused. "Sasuke is as guilty as you are, he need to hear this."

Preparing to retort, he quickly stopped himself as Sasuke took a hold of his arm, gripping it tightly. "It's okay, brother." Sasuke murmured, walking past him to lean on the opposite wall, facing the other pair.

"You were his best friend, Sasuke, since high school. How could you do this?" Iruka murmured, trying his hardest not to shed any more tears.

"…. I don't know how or why, so don't ask. I just…. I didn't mean to hurt him." Sasuke sighed, still tired.

"Then what did you expect? That he would be thrilled to see you to going at it? That he would accept it and join you?" Kakashi snapped, still glaring fiercely. "It's abnormal and sick. You two are brothers, not to mention that you're his best friend and fiancé, who in their right mind would just accept it?"

"…." He looked over at his brother to see him flinch, undoubtedly feeling the same way he did. Indeed, they both knew it was wrong, sick and forbidden, but it couldn't be helped.

"And you've been doing this for years, why didn't you tell him? Break up with him if you were so in love with each other? Why did you lie for 3 years, making him believe he was living a dream?" Kakashi continued.

"….." Neither he nor Sasuke knew what to say, where to begin. There were no excuses for their actions, but they loved him.

He loved Naruto, so much, but he loved his brother too. He couldn't choose one over the other. Sasuke was his brother, he was had always been there and Naruto had been the first person he had ever fallen in love with. Naruto had helped him break away from his haunted memories, helped him heal and move on. That was why he needed them both and wanted them; they completed him.

He knew that it was incredibly selfish of him and he despised himself for it, but then again he was an Uchiha and greed and selfishness run in his family. Moreover, he knew that Sasuke also felt the same way, he loved their angel too. Not just in a friendly way like most people assumed but as a lover would. After the engagement a year ago, Sasuke had told him about his feelings toward Naruto. Seeing it as an opportunity to confess about their secret relationship and hopefully make Naruto theirs, they never found the right time to tell him.

0-0-0-0

"Answer me!" He hissed, seeing as the two kept quiet, most likely in deep thought.

"We love him…" Sasuke finally answered, staring at him with determination in his onyx eyes.

"… Don't you dare say that ever again…" His husband threatened after a moment of silence, walking toward Sasuke.

Stretching his arm out to hold him back once more, he pulled him against him, not yet ready to physically hurt the Uchihas.

"Why wouldn't I?" Sasuke frowned. "It's true."

"If it was true then none of this would ever have happened." He angrily spoke, irate at their selfishness and rampant lies. "Naruto wouldn't be out there alone, hurt by your betrayal!"

"…" Seeing as they failed to reply once again, he turned to Iruka. "Come, love, I've had enough, staying here any longer will only make me sick." He said as he pulled him by the hand, dragging him toward the exit and ignoring his attempts at escaping.

"Oh, and one more thing…" He said once Iruka had been pushed outside, turning around to lazily regard the two occupants.

Seeing them only a few steps behind him, presumably wanting to lock the door once they left, he waited a second or two before stepping forward to smash his clenched fist into Itachi's face with all the power he could muster. Turning to the other brother when the first one was down, he walked over only to see him tumble backwards, his eyes wide in shock.

Shifting his gaze to see Itachi in a heap on the parquet floor, hand on his jaw and a slightly dazed expression on his face, he continued. "If I ever see you as much as look at him again, I will finish what I started." He threateningly spat before walking outside to his stunned husband, slamming the door shut behind him.

…

…

Hearing the soft click of his seatbelt being buckled, Naruto leaned back in his seat, exhaling in relief but tensing in nervousness. He was finally on the plane, he could barely believe it.

There were only a couple of minutes left or so before the plane would take off and then about 98 minutes before he would reach Obihiro. Then of course, he would have to take a cab, which would make it take up to 40 minutes additionally before he would be able to meet his brother. '_So… only 3 hours left…'_ He wearily thought as he stared out the window, only to see his horrible-looking reflection glance back at him through the darkness of the evening.

…

…

Stirring his tea around by moving the cup in a circular motion, he gripped it gently by supporting it from below before bringing it up to his thin, pale lips, tipping the cup to let the heated liquid inside. Swallowing automatically, he stared at the empty seat in front of him, his eyebrows furrowing beneath the brown tresses that had escaped his loose ponytail.

When was that idiot going to show up? The time was already past eight and he was supposed to be here a long time ago. The guy had told him come meet him at eight o'clock and yet he was the one who was late. But then again, he guessed he had put too much faith in the highly annoying moron. When did he ever show up on time?

Turning his gaze toward the entrance, he quickly shifted it once more as the awaited person failed to appear. _'Ten more minutes…'_ He thought as he continued to sip his gyokuro* tea, umami*evident on his taste buds. _'Then I'll leave…'_

0-0-0-0

"Ah, Neji, I'm sorry man but Akamaru needed to..." Kiba said as he barged into the café, stopping in midsentence, probably noticing the people around him and the rather vicious glare sent his way.

"You said eight p.m." Neji interjected as the dog-lover approached him, giving him a glare worthy of a Hyuuga.

"Yeah I know, look I'm-"

"Save it for later." He said before lifting his hand up in a stopping motion, not wanting to hear the endless story of how Akamaru's flees reproduced or something similar to it. "We came here to discuss about my….. I mean… Mr. Uzumaki." He corrected as he noticed his slipup, his cheeks heating up despite his effort not to let them.

"Huh? What's with the title? You've known each other for years and… are you blushing?" The Inuzuka said, squinting at him curiously as he took a seat across from him.

"No."

"Yes, you are. Your cheeks are—"

"We didn't come here to discuss the coloring of my cheeks, now did we?" He interrupted, not wanting to be questioned further, silently cursing himself internally as he took a quick sip of his second ordered cup of hot green tea.

"Yeah, but-"

"Leave it."

"But-"

"I said leave it." He repeated and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Fine, have it your way…." The dog-lover sighed before suddenly raising his voice as he shifted in his seat. "Hey, isn't that Gaara?"

"Hmm…..what..?" He asked a bit surprised, frowning in confusion.

"Over there… by the traffic lights." Kiba exclaimed as he pointed through the window to his right at a red haired male dressed in a black cape-like coat, pale green eyes staring murderously at the red traffic lights.

"…...Yes, that is Gaara…" He murmured as he instantly recognized the man, the features too rare to be anyone else's.

"Doesn't he seem to look… a little scarier than usual…..… and is that an ax?" Kiba continued, leaning over the table to stare out the window more closely, hands cupping the glass.

"It looks like a normal case to me…" He frowned, not understanding what Kiba meant by mentioning an ax.

"But that's the same case he had a few months ago…. when he taught Naruto to chop some wood…."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"He's not going to kill anyone is he?" Kiba unsurely questioned.

"…..When it comes to Gaara you can never be too certain…." He calmly replied before taking another sip of his tea, watching Gaara cross the crossing and disappear behind the corner, the edges of his black coat flaring in the light November breeze.

"Uh-huh…wait, what?"

"… It was a joke..." He said in a similar tone before taking another sip.

"Oh…... wait, you just made a joke?" Kiba shouted, his eyes wide and mouth agape, looking at him as if he had just grown two heads.

"What of it?" He questioned, his left eyebrow rising in enquiry, ignoring the fools that turned to look at them.

"You never joke."

"That is correct." He stated in the same calm tone, not understanding the sudden commotion.

"But you just said…"

"Yes...?"

"…"

"Now… if you're done gaping, perhaps we should proceed with our discussion."

"Huh? Oh… yeah, sure… so…. what do you think is up with Naruto?" Kiba said in at least three different tones before leaning back in his chair to gaze at him, his facial expression more serious at the mention of his friend.

"Hmm… I wish I knew… it is rare for him to disappear like that…" He admitted, furrowing his eyebrows further as he observed the ceramic tea cup. Swirling it around, he let the tea gently ripple its sides as he recalled the Uchiha's words.

"Yeah… You don't think he was upset by the discharge, right?" Kiba unsurely laughed, scratching his cheek in a nervous gesture. "I kinda called Kakashi five times yesterday…."

"Hmm… no, I reckon he wouldn't be, since he truly hated it there…."

"Yeah, but Kakashi's probably blaming himself..."

"I imagine he would… but Naruto wouldn't be that upset by a matter of this kind, especially with something that involves his father…"

"Yeah… It's just isn't like him…" Kiba stated.

"I agree…something definitely must have happened…"

"Yeah, but what… it has to be something pretty bad to get that kind of reaction…"

"… Perhaps…" He began, but quickly trailed off as he was unsure on how to continue.

"Huh? Perhaps what? Come on, tell me."

"… Perhaps the Uchihas have something to do with it…"

"Why would you think that?"

"It is always them…" He stated, before finishing the last droplets of his tea.

"What do you mean?"

"Every time Naruto gets greatly upset it is almost always the Uchihas that are responsible…"

"What? You think they've done something…? But Sasuke was the one who notified us and told us that Naruto hadn't showed up. If he'd done something then why would he bother calling everyone?"

"I don't know…." He frowned, staring out of the window contemplatively.

He was more than positive that the Uchihas had done something, but the question was what? What could they have done to make their sunshine leave like that? He could think of multiple reasons, but they seemed too unbelievable at most. Well, not to him, since he never really liked the Uchihas to begin with, but to everyone else.

Exactly what had happened? And where was Naruto?

…

…

Staring at his husband wide eyed while said person pulled him toward the car, he felt his jaw nearly unhinge.

Kakashi had hit Itachi….. And not just hit him but threatened him.

He had never expected that to happen. He had thought he would be the one to give them a piece of his mind yet Kakashi had done it for him.

But he wasn't disappointed, far from it in fact. This proved that his husband cared and that he was as infuriated with the Uchihas as himself. He really was the man he loved and fell in love with.

Smiling coyly, he gently grabbed his husband's hand, intertwining their fingers. Seeing Kakashi's slightly surprised stare at the small action, he smiled at him, letting him know that he was forgiven.

0-0-0-0

The blazing lights of the car that drove past them made him squint as he concentrated on the road. Darkness had long since devoured the sky as the day turned into evening, streetlights lightening up their surroundings as they passed them by.

Flicking the blinker on, he turned left, taking the route through the city in hopes of spotting their son. The streets were crowded as usual but there were less people pacing on them at this hour and the traffic was lighter.

Noticing the traffic light turn red at the crossing ahead, he slowed down by pressing the brake pedal before stopping completely with some help of the automatic gearbox, the engine still running. Looking at the pedestrians that walked past them, his dark eyes searched for a tall blond male, dressed in a pair of black dress pants and a grey coat.

Not seeing anyone who fit the description, he agitatedly shifted his foot over the accelerator, preparing to drive off only to hear his husband's cry.

"That's Gaara!" Iruka exclaimed, leaning over to stare out of the window in surprise to his left*. "Hey, pull down the window."

Doing as he was told, he pressed the button to roll them down and slowly drove beside the sidewalk as the lights turned green, hearing his husband shout out through the window.

"Gaara! Sabaku Gaara!"

0-0-0-0

Hearing someone call his name, he staggered before slowly turning around, his eyebrows furrowing in anger at whoever dared disturbing his killing spree.

Glaring fiercely, he looked around for the source of the commotion only to find a waving brunet in a red Toyota a few meters ahead to his left, nervously smiling at him.

Instantly recognizing the male in question, he fought down the urge to throw the ax at him as he walked over, knowing they would want to converse. Reaching the sidewalk, Iruka stuck his head out and told him to get inside as Kakashi glanced at him beside the brunet.

Having been taught to respect his elders and knowing they were Naruto's parents, he obeyed by stepping inside the backseat, shutting the door behind him before they drove off.

"So, Gaara…" Iruka nervously started, probably noticing his angry glare at being driven off to God knows where when he had better things to do… like killing two Uchihas by chopping their heads and manhood off and burn their corpses in the woods only to maliciously laugh when he was done.

Before he got the time to think of other options, Iruka quickly disrupted him.

"Well?" The ponytailed man asked.

Not knowing what had been said as he had failed to pay attention, he chose to stay silent, staring at the other in enquiry.

"Do you…. know about the Uchihas?" Iruka most likely repeated; his voice awfully strained.

Nodding in reply, he noticed Kakashi drive into an empty parking lot by some closed stores before stopping completely and turning the engine off with a jerky motion of his wrist. Seeing as they both turned to face him, his glare intensified as he suspected their purpose of bringing him here, most likely to tell him not to harm the cheating scum.

"So that's why you're carrying an ax in the middle of the city at 9 p.m.?" Kakashi asked with his visible eye crinkled in light amusement.

Replying with a grunt, he stared out of the window to his left, not feeling like talking at all, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of revenge.

"And what exactly were you planning to do with it?" The masked man issued, still looking amused.

Deciding not to reply as the answer was obvious he turned to regard them once more, lessening the glare a notch.

Of course he wouldn't kill anyone.

If the situation had been different than perhaps he really _would_ have chopped their manhood off but he had a family to care and think about now, a wife that loved him. However, he would still make the Uchihas pay. There was no chance in hell that he would let them escape unharmed when his little brother was out there suffering undeservedly.

While the ax was more of a scare tactic than an honest weapon, he couldn't wait to see their reactions once they saw it, oh, how he would gloat. Perhaps he could even demolish their house a little bit….. Oh, the possibilities…

Noticing a hand wave in front of his face, he snapped out of his thoughts and concentrated on the other two.

"…I said not to go there, Gaara." Kakashi sighed once he paid attention. "At least not today…."

Frowning, he waited for them to explain further, not understanding why he shouldn't.

"We've already given them a piece of our mind…. where I ended up punching Itachi in the jaw…." The scarecrow continued, his dark eye sparkling. "I'm not telling you not to go there at all…. just…. not today..."

"Why?" He questioned, still not understanding.

"They have already received a dose of humiliation…..the worst we could possibly do to them now is something entirely different."

"And what would that be?" He asked, suddenly curious as Kakashi's expression turned serious.

"Before this happened they were our friends too, weren't they?"

Choosing not to answer as he never considered them as such, he internally admitted that they used to be of importance as his little brother cared for them.

"Well, not to you perhaps, but to us they were…"

Still not seeing what Kakashi meant by this, he kept staring, waiting for him to continue.

"The worst thing we really could do them is to shun and ignore them completely. You see, the person Naruto most likely would contact first wouldn't be them but one of us." Kakashi said with an unusual glint in his eye. "And since they are as desperate to find him as we are, if not more, keeping everything away from them, a secret, would be far worse than any other form of punishment we could conjure up with. They would live in a world of constant unawareness, hated by us and everyone we know, never knowing where Naruto is and what he thinks of them."

Letting the words sink in, he felt the right side of his mouth twitch. He never knew Kakashi could be this sadistic, not that he minded, oh, definitely no, this just made him appear all the greater in his eyes.

"Very well, but I will go there tomorrow…..they're still not bruised enough for my liking…." He told them with a hint of amusement before glancing at the case in his lap.

…

…

Crooning to the newly released song of his favorite rock band, he tucked the frying pan into the sink after having put the fried dumplings on his plate, flushing cold water over the heated iron, steam rising as grease sizzled.

Leaving it there to cool down, he grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the second drawer to his right before sitting down on the cushion by the table a few steps to his left, internally drooling at his wonderfully smelling plate of gyouza*.

Placing the chopsticks in his fingers, he began to eat, rice and meat-filled dumplings mixing together on his tongue as he took a few bites of both, swallowing it all down with a gulp of beer, burping loudly once he was finished.

'_Ugh, that was great….'_ He thought, rubbing his sated belly lazily. Shifting his gaze from his bare stomach to the watch on his wrist, he noticed the late hour of which he had come home and eaten dinner and his eyebrows furrowed upon the discovery.

His job always required overtime. People were simply too stubborn to lift their lazy asses and do a couple of laps, persuasion taking up most of the scheduled time. As if that wasn't enough, he had to act like their little obedient puppy, running errands while they fought to make one sit-up.

Shaking his head at the fools, he sighed and threaded his fingers through his long red hair, glaring at his split ends once he grabbed a tuft. _'Hmmm… maybe I really should cut my hair?'_ He suddenly pondered while tilting his head to the side, imagining himself in various hairstyles. Getting a flash of himself bold, he shuttered and let the tresses escape his from fingers, already thinking about something entirely different.

Rising from his position on the floor, he lightly and unabashedly scratched himself through his boxers before picking his dirty plates up and carrying them over to the sink, leaving them there for another day, too tired to make the dishes at this late hour.

Yawning and whining loudly while stretching, he wore away to the bedroom, ready to get some beauty sleep despite the horrid weather, recalling that he should have a pair of earplugs by his nightstand. Reaching the bedroom door, he suddenly froze in place, the chiming of the doorbell being the cause of it.

Glancing over his shoulder at the wooden door behind him, he wondered who would come and visit him at eleven p.m. on a workday... Internally shrugging, he turned around and walked over to the door, forgetting his current state of undress, as the person outside never stopped pressing the cursed little button.

Unlocking it, he opened it slowly to reveal a pair of saddened cobalt blue eyes and dripping blond locks that lay plastered over whisker-like cheeks, surrounded by darkness.

"Na… ru… to?" He heard himself questionably stutter before lightning struck down behind them, illuminating a face so similar to his own.

…

€$¥£ **Information** €$¥£

*_Honshuu =_ the big island where Toukyou (Tokyo) among other cities are located.

_*Gyokuro_ = expensive and luxurious Japanese green tea. The name means "jade dew" and refers to the pale green color of the infusion. It is consumed without sugar or cream and drunken in a cup without a handle as all Japanese teas are in general. The most polite way of drinking green tea is to hold the cup with one hand and support it from below with the other hand.

_*Umami_ = those of you who didn't know this already, umami is the fifth basic taste sensed by specialized receptor cells on the human tongue and means "good flavor" or "good taste". It has a smooth and slightly sweet characteristic taste and is common in Japanese cooking. Gyokuro is particularly rich in umami.

*_In Japan people drive on the left-hand side of the road, and the steering wheel is to the right inside most cars. Western, imported cars are built different, usually the opposite way._

_*Gyouza = _are dumplings with a filling usually made out of minced vegetables or ground meat or both. In Japan, you usually fry them in oil and water and eat them with rice and a dipping sauce consisting of mixed vinegar and soy. It's an amazing dish that is really delicious. I highly recommend it, my dears. ;)

_Hehe... *sweat drop* that was quite a lot of information… hope you didn't find it annoying…_

…

**^:_:^ =^_^=**

**Yes, another cliff-hanger….. I really am the devil's spawn…*cough***

**Anyway…..Thanks for reading! And thank you so much for reviewing; it makes me happy to see that people actually like the story. ****Thank you! *glomps***

**...**

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**dashlee:** Thank you for the review, I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you liked this chapter too!

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**D. Akisira R.T.M.S:** Thank you! Again, sorry for the late update...but I hope you liked the chapter nonetheless.

**Sentouki:** Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad you thought my words painted vivid pictures, which was what I strove for. I hope you liked the chapter.

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**...**

**Arigatou gozaimashita, minna-san, to gomen nasai!**

**If you have the time and feel like it, please review. It's as always, highly appreciated.**

**Take care. Hugs =^_^=**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** O'hisashiburi desu. Sorry for taking some time, but as I said in the previous chapter, school is pure torment these days…*cries*

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Douzo! ;)

**Warnings:** **Language, abuse, violence, 381 manga spoiler, etc.**

…

"Speaking"

'_Thinking'_

_Reading_

…

…

… _(Long double lines) = change of scenery/new scene._

_o-o-o-o (One small o-line) = after a short amount of time __**or**__ change of point of view._

…

…

…

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 5_

In that moment everything stopped.

He could no longer hear the wracking thunderstorm that shook the little suburb to the ground. The only thing that his mind registered was the heavy raindrops soundlessly splattering against his soaked body, his own name on his brother's lips, those surprised maroon eyes and the sign of recognition within them.

That was all it took.

That was all it took for him to suddenly regain all his senses back in a flash; thunder, lightning, lips, rain, cold, wet, name, brother, name. His mind exploded with impressions, his eyes widening as a gasp left his throat, his feet shaking unsteadily beneath him.

Unable to stay upright he fell to his knees, vaguely feeling water seep through the black fabric of his dress pants as he touched the ground. His eyes focused on the beige slippers in front of him, water droplets blurring the image. A gasp followed by a name left his throat, only to be smothered by the deafening sound of the storm.

Kyuubi knew who he was.

He was recognized.

He couldn't recall how long he knelt there, covered in rain and darkness, waiting for something to happen. Maybe it was seconds, maybe it was minutes. The weather had gotten worse, blowing vigorously. Raindrops trailed down his locks onto his face and his body shook from the cold and mental exhaustion while he stared aimlessly at his brother's feet.

Seeing the legs vanish from his view as seconds passed, he felt the excruciating pain return, thinking his brother would leave him there, alone in the rainy night. But instead a naked chest blocked his view, startling him.

"What took you so long…?" He heard his brother murmur and a hand was place on his chin, forcing him to look up into teary maroon eyes, a small smile stretching across rouge tinted lips.

Taking it all in, he felt the masks and walls that he had carried and surrounded himself with suddenly come apart, all that bottled up anger, sadness and anguish flooded through and out of him, all at once, crumbling and irrupting.

Shaking, he let the tears fall and the image of his brother's worried face became unfocused as they trailed down his cheeks in rivers, sobs escaping his open lips that reverberated into the chilly air.

He remembered him. Kyuubi remembered him.

Leaning forward, he let himself be embraced as he cried, shaking in the arms of his older brother, happy and relieved, finally at home.

0-0-0-0

'_Is this really Naruto?'_ He thought as he regarded the sleeping form that lay on his couch wrapped up in blankets. _'It has to be… he look so much like him… like me…'_

'_He did say his name was Naruto and that he's my little brother… but what if-' _

The blond had fallen passed out in his embrace, apparently exhausted beyond belief. He had taken him inside and placed him on the couch, stripping him off of his drenched coat in order to prevent him from getting pneumonia and wrapped some blankets around him. Only when he had scrutinized the golden hair that now rested on the red fabric of his furniture, the moving chest and the quiet breathing, did he fully realize what he was doing. Was he really certain that this was his brother? Could not looks be deceiving?

'…_.. Perhaps I should check his ID…' _He suddenly thought after having returned from his trip down memory lane, seeing raindrops slide down the glass of the window in front of him.

Stepping around the couch to walk into the kitchen and past it to the hallway where the blonde's drenched coat was perched on a hanger, he rummaged through the wet fabric until he found the man's wallet. Opening it to check for identification of some sort, he spotted the ID-card and quickly glanced at the listed name, birth date and picture.

'_Uzumaki Naruto, October 10th 1984…'_

Narrowing his eyes, he checked it over again, afraid that he might have read it wrongly. He remembered that they had celebrated his little brother's birthday during fall but he could not remember the exact date, and as for the name…

'_Uzumaki… Uzumaki… Uzumaki Kushina…' _Now when he thought more closely about it, he was quite sure that his mother's family name had been Uzumaki… which meant that this very well could be his long lost brother… but how could he be certain?

His intuition was telling him to believe in the blond and all the evidence he had been presented with, that this man really was his little brother, but then there was a nagging feeling at the back of his head, which made him fear that he could have been tricked. Deciding to check on the something that would be able to convince him, he walked back into the living room were the blond man lay, cautiously kneeling right in front of him on the tatami floor. Dropping his gaze onto Naruto's face, his eyes traced the whisker-like marks across the pale cheeks before his hand gently reached out to cautiously repeat the motion with his fingers.

The cheeks were soft and slightly damp but there was no scar tissue meaning they had to be birthmarks. Birthmarks that only the two of them shared…

This had to be his brother.

Indeed, the birthmarks were their distinctive trait. It was something both of them had acquired during birth and no other such case had ever been reported. In contrast to most birthmarks, the color of theirs was slightly lighter than their skin tone, which made them resemble scars more than actual birthmarks, but that was what they were and nothing else.

Having seen this he was certain that the man on his couch had to be his sibling. Somehow it just all made sense - his appearance, name, birth date, everything.

Hearing Naruto whimper slightly, he withdrew his hand to let it rest against his lap. Smiling at the adorable pout his brother currently wore, he pulled the blankets up further before rising to do the dishes. It wouldn't do him any good if his house looked like pigsty, especially now when his little brother finally had come home.

0-0-0-0

"So… let me get this straight…your best friend and fiancée cheated on you and you caught them in the act…" Kyuubi summarized once they sat down to eat their breakfast in the kitchen, sunlight beaming at them through the large windows of the dining room. "That's why you left…"

He nodded in affirmation, comfortably seated on the brown cushion by the low table, staring down at his rice bowl and chopsticks, not particularly hungry, as he waited for his brother's reaction.

"…How could she do that..? And your best friend…?" Kyuubi frowned after a pause, putting his cup of coffee down on the table with a sigh.

Choosing not to answer, he stayed silent. Of course Kyuubi would mistake his _former_ fiancé for being a woman. It was, after all, a perfectly natural assumption and the usual scenario. However, he didn't feel like correcting him. After all, what would his reaction be to finding out he was gay and that the "fiancé" and best friend actually were siblings and both of them male?

Homosexuality wasn't socially accepted in Japan. A lot of people still considered it a disease and it was not unusual for parents to shun their children once they found out or tell them to get help getting ''cured''*. While he wanted to believe that Kyuubi was not one of them, he did not want to take any chances. He couldn't lose his brother now, not when they had just reunited. So he would keep it a secret for now, at least until he knew what Kyuubi's views were concerning the subject.

"Did you confront them about it?" Kyuubi asked and took a bite of his grilled fish and pickled vegetables.

Shaking his head in the negative, he started to play with his food, not really wanting to discuss it since it still hurt too much. But on the other hand he knew that it was only understandable that his brother would want to know. After all, it wasn't an everyday occurrence to find your long lost brother on your doorstep a rainy night, looking despaired and alone.

"I know you probably don't feel like talking about it, but… I think it might help if you get it out of your system, sort of speak…" Kyuubi continued, motioning at him with his hands to try to eat something.

"…I left as soon as I saw them…" He finally answered, struggling to from a sentence as the vicious pain returned. He appreciated Kyuubi's concern but he had a hard time dealing with this so soon, it had only been a day since they had…

"I see…" Kyuubi murmured before studying his face. "Did you break off the engagement then…?"

"….I sent the ring back…." He answered before taking the offered plate of tofu, putting a piece in his mouth and swallowing it down as he was unable to feel any taste.

"Huh? Oh, so her parents paid for it then. Hmm… she's probably some rich snob, isn't she? Man, I hate those girls. They're only after one thing, you know…"

"Namikaze…"

"Call me Kyuubi, Naruto. We might not know each other that well but we're still brothers, there's no need for formalities…" Kyuubi told him with a small smile before turning more solemn. "And I'm sorry… I shouldn't have said that but I've had my fair share of that kind of women as well…"

"I'm sorry-"

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault, besides… they're not worth it. If they can't see how special we are then it's their loss, right?" Kyuubi said, smiling broadly this time, obviously trying to cheer him up despite everything.

"Yeah…" He blushed, thankful for the attempt.

"How about your friends and family then..? Have you notified them yet?"

"No…" He mumbled, feeling ashamed all of a sudden. He had totally forgotten about that.

"Don't you think you should…?" His brother queried in concern, putting his chopsticks down on a napkin.

"Mmm…" He hummed, agreeing as guilt started to slowly tear him up from the inside, accompanying the heartache. "I'll do that as soon as I'll find a hotel-" He murmured before his brother interrupted him.

"Hotel..? What are you talking about?" Kyuubi frowned, his maroon eyes regarding him worriedly. "You're my brother, you can stay here for as long as you like, there's no need for unnecessary expenses when there's plenty of room for us both."

"But…" He protested completely awestruck. They hadn't seen each other in nineteen years, what was his brother thinking? They were like strangers. Sure he had spent the night, but to live here would be over the top.

"Look Naruto, we've already been through this. You have our mother's family name, you're five years younger, we look like twins and we both have the whiskered-like birthmarks." Kyuubi continued while his left eyebrow twitched. "I've checked your ID, there's no doubt about it. Why wouldn't I let you stay here?"

"You don't know me." He pushed, surprised at his brother's trust in him. "I could be some psychotic killer for all you'd know…"

"If I'd believed that then I wouldn't have embraced you in the first place and by telling me this I'm pretty convinced that you're not." Kyuubi frowned. "Besides, you just got fired and judging by your trip you probably don't have that much left on your account, right? How where you planning on staying at a hotel that charges at least 5000円 a night?

"There must be some-" He tried, slightly upset at himself for not having thought of this earlier but he did not think hotels were that expensive.

"This isn't Toukyou, Naruto. There aren't that many hotels here since tourism is low, meaning the prices are high..." His brother said while threading a hand through his hair. "And you didn't bring any clothes or other necessary items, were you planning on buying them all?"

"I…"

"Stay… You will have your own room and bathroom, food and everything else you might need. We'll even go and buy some new clothes today..."

"…"

"I know that it must be hard for you to trust anyone right now… and you've just met me. But I'm asking you to try to put some faith in me, Naruto." Kyuubi pleaded, staring at him with impossibly big maroon eyes. "….. I've failed you once already…. let me do this…"

Averting his gaze, he stayed silent. His brother was being so kind. It was as if those years had not mattered at all. Kyuubi still cared about him and wanted to rebuild their relationship, but what was he doing? He was pushing him away and for what reason? His brother hadn't done anything wrong yet he was insisting on putting a distance between them.

Was he really that afraid of getting hurt again? Kyuubi clearly didn't want to see him sad so why was he so worried? It was true that they didn't know each other that well but he was certain that his brother was a good man, especially considering everything he'd done up until now, but still…

"I don't know…" He finally answered, staring at his brother unsurely. He didn't want to disappoint him by refusing his offer but he thought it might be too awkward to accept it before getting to know him any further.

"I understand…" His brother said in a slightly dejected tone. "I will help you find a hotel then… and pay for all the expenses."

"No! That's not-"

"It's either that or staying here. You're my brother and even though we might not know each other well, that will never change. Do you think I'm so heartless as to just throw you out without any means to fend for yourself?" Kyuubi asked with slightly narrowed eyes.

"No, I just… I can't…"

"Then how about this…. I'll show you around the village a bit and we'll talk some more and then at the end of the day you can tell me what you've decided?" His brother proposed in a calmer tone. "By that time you'd get to know me a little better and perhaps you'll change your mind about things?"

"… Thank you." He mumbled, grateful for his brother's ability to understand. "I'm sorry for-"

"Don't apologize, Naruto… I'm really glad you came."

"…So am I…" He replied, returning the small smile Kyuubi sent him before taking a sip of his miso soup, already starting to contemplate about the different options inside his head.

…

…

"Hello, Hatake speaking." He answered in a monotone, thinking it was one of his employees calling.

"…Dad…?" A voice questioned.

"Naruto!" He breathed as he recognized his son's pained voice and gripped the phone tightly in fear of losing him if he let go.

"Dad…" Naruto cried through the receiver. "I-"

"Naruto, are you alright?" He asked, desperate to find out as much as possible, leaning forward over his desk in his office as he waited for an answer.

"Yes, but I'm so sorry for-"

"Don't worry 'little one', no one's angry with you, we're just worried." He said, already knowing Naruto most likely was blaming himself for what had happened. "Where are you?"

"I… I can't tell you…"

"What? Why?" He asked, feeling fear and confusion replace anxiety. Had something happened? Other than him getting hurt by the Uchihas?

"I can't… I don't want them to find me…" Naruto continued with a strained voice, obviously trying his hardest not to cry. "I mean if they would care to…"

"You mean the Uchihas don't you?"

"You know…" Naruto stated with a hitched breath.

"Sai made them tell him the truth…" He softly told him. "And he told us…"

"Sai did that…?" Naruto gasped but made it sound more like cooing in his despair. "He… you didn't do anything to them, right?"

"No… we decided that ignoring them would be best." He answered carefully. Choosing not to tell him about the punch he had given his son's ex-boyfriend and Gaara's plans for that matter. After all, that information wasn't very vital was it?

"Good." Naruto murmured. "Just because they… doesn't mean that I wish them any harm…" His son continued, unable to mouth the words that hurt the most.

"I know, but that doesn't mean I approve…"

"I'm not asking you to, just… leave them alone. This was their choice. They have to live with it..."

"Mmm... but Naruto, where are you..?" He asked once more, his eyebrows furrowing further.

"I'm sorry…"

"Can't you at least tell me if you're safe… and comfortable at the place you're at?"

"… I am, I like it here…. it's really beautiful and I'm not alone…"

"You're with someone? Do I know this person?"

"No, you haven't met him before…"

"Him..?"

"He's a friend… " Just by hearing the words he could tell that Naruto truly meant them. His son's tone of voice had changed to its original pitch, not sounding as strained, which meant that this person made him feel better. But somehow Naruto seemed unwilling to go into further detail, though knowing his son probably knew best, he chose to leave it at that.

"Well, then… that great but…. what about us, Naruto…? Iruka and I've been worried sick, and so have all your friends-"

"I know and I'm sorry…but I won't come back... at least not for a long time." Naruto sadly interrupted. "I have to start anew, I can't do it over there, Dad, please understand."

"I do understand but I don't want this. You're my son, how can I assent when I might never see you again…?" He asked saddened and slightly frustrated. He knew that his son needed this but why did he have to distance himself? He wanted to help, not unknowingly watch from afar.

"Don't say that, you will, just not now."

"…Can't we contact you in another way?" He asked with a frown.

"I will call you…" Naruto answered dejectedly. "That is the only way, but I promise that I will call as often as I can and that in time I will tell you how to contact me…"

"Do you promise, Naru? To stay in touch and not disappear on us?"

"Of course I will. You, Papa and my friends are my precious people, I won't let you go… but I have to do this."

"Will you tell the others… or should I…?" He questioned in a similar tone as his son, hesitating at the last words as he imagined his husband's tear-streaked face.

"I'll do that, Dad, don't worry. This is my choice and my responsibility…"

"But you are not alone in this, Naru. We're here for you, always. And I'm not just saying that, it's true."

"I know, and I'm grateful, but I need some time by myself. I need to move on. I will contact you in a few days again, I promise, but I have to hang up now…"

"I understand. I will talk to you in a few days then." He conceded, trusting his son and taking him for his words. "Take care, Naru, and if there's anything, don't hesitate to call."

"I will. Take care of Papa for me, will you? And leave them be, okay? … Take care, Dad."

"You too, Naru…" He said before said person hung up on him, leaving him in a similar state as prior to the call, worried and depressed.

…

…

"How did it go?" He asked as he saw his little brother walk back toward him from the pay-phone, his blond hair shining as brightly as the sun above them.

"They didn't like my decision, yet they accepted it." Naruto answered while glancing at him sadly. "They're just relieved to hear that I'm okay and that's what's most important to them…"

"I'm glad that they're okay with it… did you… tell them about me?"

"No, not exactly… I wanted to properly introduce them to you in person… if you'd want that, that is…" Naruto continued, fidgeting under his slightly surprised gaze, choosing not to tell his sibling the whole truth.

"…. Of course I would, you're my little brother after all." He stated, smiling at his sibling's antics.

His little brother really had changed a lot. Of course, it was inevitable with time. Naruto couldn't stay 6 years old forever. But what made him worry was the fact that his sibling had not merely undergone positive changes. Even as Naruto tried his hardest to hide it behind strained smiles, he could still see the how unsure and self-conscious his brother had become. It was as if Naruto was afraid that he would be disliked if he did anything remotely unpleasing and that was not the Naruto he remembered.

Of course, a lot had happened since they last saw each other but Naruto had always been a confident and cheerful person. Though, he figured that bad experiences could change that easily and from what he could tell, Naruto had had his fair share, starting at an early age.

Indeed, the death of their parents had been tough for them both. Naruto had been about to turn six at the time and he himself had only been eleven years old. It had happened so suddenly and unexpectedly and they had not even been given a chance to deal with the loss properly before they had been taken to an orphanage, instantly separated as two different families wanted one of each and not the complete package. He never knew what had happened to his brother after that day but he remembered their last moment together quite vividly.

Naruto had looked so despaired and frightened when he had been taken away, being the first of them to be adopted due to his young age. His baby brother had cried and called his name, struggling and begging him not to abandon him as the social workers had pulled him away, tears trailing down the whiskers-like cheeks, arms outstretched in desperation. Even as they had taken him outside, he had still been able to hear his agonized screams as he stood and shook in the orphanage's hallway, trying his hardest not to run outside and comfort his precious little brother.

After that day, he had cried himself to sleep every night for many years, thinking about his brother and those saddened cobalt blue eyes, those frightened screams. Every night before going to bed he had also prayed for his safety and prosperity, begging whatever God that he was treated more kindly than him, that he wasn't abused and neglected.

Seeing him by his doorstep yesterday, those same saddened blue eyes, had given him a hard time standing upright as all the memories he had fought so hard to suppress had resurfaced. At that moment it hadn't mattered that nineteen years had passed, it hadn't mattered that they practically were strangers, he had just not been able to stop himself from kneeling and profoundly embracing him, comforting him in a way he had wanted to do for so many years.

Feeling his chest ache, he glanced over at his brother as they walked toward the house, seeing him close his eyes as a light breeze swept by them. Naruto looked less pale than he had the night they had met but he still seemed far from healthy. His eyes were red from exhaustion and presumably from lack of sleep, the dark bags below the cobalt blue being a dead giveaway. The lips were a bit chapped from worried biting and his brother's movements were slightly stiff and mechanical.

The sight of him was enough to make him want to strangle the infidels to death for causing his brother harm. He never wished to see Naruto in this weak and vulnerable state again. He only hoped he would be able to be there for him, to care for him and keep him safe, to see those bright eyes and that happy smile once again.

Passing houses, they walked through the suburb, stone walls and hedges covering their sides through the narrow pathway that lead to his home. Looking ahead of him, he could see the white box-shaped house he had bought two years ago, towering over the lower houses in the neighborhood. He liked it for its unique and modern style and many large windows, though the inside had been the main reason for his purchase, the interior being traditional like he wanted it to be and very beautiful.

He could tell that his brother fancied it as well, judging from the admiration in his eyes every time he looked at it, and that pleased him a lot as well because he was determined to make his brother stay with him for as long as possible, especially taking his awful experiences into consideration.

When he had talked with Naruto during their walk, he realized that a lot of his childhood prayers had been answered. The parents Naruto had gotten were kind and caring and he loved them as much as they loved him, and he also had many reliable friends and a good education. Indeed, if it hadn't been for the people he currently wanted to strangle then Naruto's life would have been perfect.

Despite the feelings of relief and happiness, he had felt a little saddened at the thought. If Naruto's fiancé hadn't been unfaithful then they might never have met. Though, he quickly scolded himself for being so selfish. Of course he would have preferred that his brother hadn't been cheated on in the first place…

Seeing his brother curiously stare at him, he smiled and told him that he was thinking of their past. "Do you remember the time dad bought us a turtle?" He asked once he really thought of about it.

"Eh…no…" Naruto sadly responded, obviously wishing he could.

"Well, you were only about four at the time, so I'm not surprised you can't." He said in an attempt to cheer him up, after all, that happened so long ago that he barely remembered it himself. "I remember that you used to love poking at it…"

"Poking at it…?"

"Yeah, you could sit in the living room for hours and do just that, until mum and dad would pull you away because they thought you were hurting it." He snickered as he recalled his adorable little brother and his strange habit.

"What happened to it?" Naruto asked shyly yet amusedly curious.

"Well, let's see… I flushed it down the toilet because I wanted to see if it would manage to get back up…" Seeing his brother's raised eyebrows at the statement, he chuckled and continued. "What? I was nine…"

Smiling at each other, Naruto's expression suddenly changed.

"… What… what were they like…?" His brother asked more gravely, a pained expression now adorning his face, undoubtedly asking about their parents.

"They were good parents… always encouraging us and making sure we were happy. Dad looked a lot like you, the blond hair and blue eyes, and he had quite the goofy personality…" He said while remembering, feeling a painful tug in his heart. "I resemble mum the most, with the red hair and feisty temperament… She was a good mother…"

"…I wish I could remember…"

Seeing his brother's saddened face, he felt bad for bringing it up in the first place. He knew it must be painful to remember but on the other hand, he thought it almost better not to. He wouldn't have to remember their kind faces and all the things they did for them along with their bloodied bodies in the car that rainy night.

"Then do you regret getting to know the parents you now have?" He asked once he willed the awful memory away, a suffocating feeling covering his chest.

"Of course not."

"Then don't think too much of it, Naruto. They might not be your parents by blood but they're your parents by heart. They raised you into becoming a wonderful person and I am sure our parents are grateful and proud."

Seeing Naruto's eyes become clearer, he put his hand on his shoulder comfortingly before quickly pulling it away, knowing Naruto still didn't trust him. Sighing quietly, he fished out his keys and unlocked the front door only to step aside to let his brother enter before him.

…

…

Walking with hurried steps along the path, he started getting closer to his goal, seeing the wooden house further down to his left. The house was very traditional looking with the layered pointed roof and large windows, surrounded by a pretty tea garden and a fence.

Reaching the gate, he stopped and looked around him, not wanting anyone to witness the deed he was about to commit. As he went to open the gate he noticed a small parcel sticking out of the fan- labeled mailbox. Regarding it contemplatively, he eventually pulled it out. Could this be the engagement ring he sent them?

When Naruto had called him two hours ago he hadn't been particularly surprised by the call itself but the things he had been told had rendered him speechless for a couple of hours. Most people might not have thought much of it, perceiving him as a silent type, but his wife had been at his side in an instant. She knew about his masks of indifference and his silent façade and she could tell that this had affected him greatly.

Though, how could it not have? The man who was like a little brother to him, his best friend, would never return to them and for what reason? Those damned Uchihas…

Not being able to withstand it he had ignored Kakashi's brilliant plan and his wife's pleas not to go, needing to punish the Uchihas since making them outcasts wasn't good enough. He wanted them to experience the same amount of pain that Naruto was experiencing along with the pain of his family and his friends.

Clenching his fists around his case and the parcel in anger, he quickly walked through the open gate to the porch, stopping to inspect the little package further.

It was addressed to Itachi and remitted from Haneda, meaning that there was a slight possibility that it could be Naruto's. He pondered if he should throw it at them once he was done with his revenge or open it and play a few mind games with them instead. Deciding for the latter option, deeming it crueler, he ripped the parcel open, careful to neither damage the content nor bring attention to himself.

Seeing the familiar handkerchief and folded paper, he tucked them both into his coat, now certain that the sender really was his self-declared brother, the piece of cloth being the one Temari handed Naruto as a good luck charm many years ago. Turning around towards the door he idly thought that the charm had backfired, bringing despair instead of fortune and happiness.

Carefully leaning against the door once he reached it, he listened for any signs of occupancy. Hearing none, he went to one of the windows and hid against the outer wall, glancing inside. The room closest to him was dark and empty, but looking more closely he could see the ravens in the living room further down to the right, watching television in each other's arms on the black leather couch.

Disgusted and angered by the sight, he tore himself away and turned back the way he had come, walking around the house to the back door, deeming it a better for initiating his plan as fewer people would notice.

Once there, he wondered how to begin.

Should he crush the windows first? Or sneak inside and give them a scare? Should he knock on the door pretending to be Naruto? Thinking about the possibilities, he knelt down on the ground to unlock his case, staring at the gleaming ax presented to him with malicious delight.

…

…

"Isn't there anything else on?" Sasuke droned, staring at television screen whilst lying against him, not really watching the screen but needing the distraction. The loud noise of the device reverberated through the small room and its flickers of light illuminated the dark walls.

Sighing dolorously he gave his brother the remote control, too tired to care or pay attention. It had been 35 hours and 48 minutes since he had last seen his sunshine and by every passing second he felt worse, worry, despair and guilt eating at his heart. He had messed up and incredibly so, his sore and bruised jaw being a constant reminder.

They had been awake all night, hoping against all odds that Naruto would come home yet the blond never had. In a way they weren't surprised. The reaction of the Hatake-Umino pair spoke volumes of contradiction and somehow they doubted Naruto would accept what they had done, their lies and actions being too despicable. Not to mention that everyone was aware of their relationship now and if Naruto had contacted them then they would be the last to know.

Still, he refused to give up. His love for the ray of sunshine would never cease and he would never let him go. He would find him and make him understand, even if it would take him a lifetime to achieve it. A future without Naruto was unthinkable, there was just no way he would let that happen.

Hearing the sound of several crashes down the hall, both he and Sasuke froze in trepidation and shock. Considering that they were the only habitants of the house, the strange noise made them turn around in order to locate the source of disturbance, knowing that they no longer where alone.

"Naruto?" Sasuke called, clinging to the couch back with hope, staring out of the door into the darkened hallway.

Not being as naïve as his brother, already having abandoned the thought of Naruto coming back this soon, he told him to stay put while he rose to take a closer look. Sliding the door open further, he walked past the room into the hall, observing the empty space. Continuing to look for the cause of commotion, he finally reached the kitchen.

Coming to a halt upon entry, he narrowed his eyes at the sight. The kitchen was totally smashed. It looked as if someone had gone berserk with an ax, pieces of broken furniture and debris laying spread out everywhere. The dining table had deep imprints on it and the straw-mats were ripped to shreds.

Instantly alert, he soundlessly grabbed a kitchen knife from the drawer next to him before turning around to search for the responsible felon, intent on making him pay.

"Did you like the makeover?" A redhead he instantly recognized as Gaara startlingly questioned, leaning against the back door, a swaying ax in his hand.

Before he could get a word in edgeways or attack, they were both interrupted by a second voice.

"Gaara… what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Sasuke hissed from behind, standing in the hallway looking enraged.

"I talked to Naruto today..." Gaara answered with that husky voice of his, seemingly unbothered by their glares of deep hatred.

Feeling his heart jump at the name of his fiancée, his glare lessened a notch as he waited for an elaborated answer, wanting to find out as much as possible.

"Where is he?" Sasuke asked as the redhead stayed silent.

'…_Like I'd tell you...'_ Gaara undoubtedly meant by raising a non-existent eyebrow and staring at them incredulously. "He told me to give you this…," Was his spoken sentence as he fished through his outerwear to give them a folded handkerchief.

He instantly recognized it as Naruto's good luck charm, the one he often wore and treasured, which meant that Gaara probably was telling the truth, Naruto had talked to him. Snatching it out of the redhead's grasp, he quickly unfolded it, hoping that it wasn't what he suspected it to be, his stomach churning unpleasantly all the while.

Seeing the three stone diamond ring surrounded by the black material, his heart plummeted and he had to grip the table behind him for support as an overwhelming pain shot through his body. _'No…' _He thought as his chest heaved, breathing becoming difficult. _'No, Naruto, please no...'_

Noticing Gaara hold a folded note toward him, he quickly grabbed it as well, clutching it unsteadily. Slowly reading its contents, the one scribbled sentence, he felt his heart wrench painfully.

_I hope the two of you will be happy…_

Seeing Gaara turn to leave through uncomfortably prickling eyes, he rushed forward and grabbed him by his black coat. "Where is he?" He demanded with a snarl, a lone tear trailing down his cheek. "Tell me where he is!"

"Touch me and this ax will split your face in two." Gaara threatened, before slapping his hand away and turning towards the stairs.

"Where are the hell do you think you're going?" Sasuke questionably spat, his eyes narrowed into a vicious glare.

"To get his things…" The tattooed man curtly answered as he ascended, ignoring them both.

Determined to efficiently stop him, he went back into the kitchen and grabbed the phone on the wall to dial 110*, leaning back to threaten the redhead before pressing any digits. "Walk upstairs and I will call the police."

"Go ahead," Was the reply he got before Gaara vanished out of sight, already on the second floor.

Ignoring the comment, he pressed the three numbers before placing the receiver by his ear, only to audibly growl as the no sound was heard. Following the cord down to the hatch on the wall with his eyes, he noticed the broken line, fury enveloping him further.

Slamming the phone back inside its holster, he walked out of the kitchen to find their cell phones, needing to prevent the redhead from erasing his and Naruto's relationship and all of its memories. As he passed the staircase he heard Sasuke shouting obscenities upstairs, presumably trying to stop the man from taking Naruto's belongings and keeping him distracted as he called the police.

Reaching the living room, he searched through the couch, nearly ripping the cushions off in his desperation to find them. Frowning in irritation as he found neither phone, he stormed out towards the hallway and clutched his coat in order to ransack his pockets. Feeling their empty confines, his frustration grew, where the hell were they?

Before he could resume his search, Gaara descended with a duffel bag thrown over his shoulder, ax still firmly in his grasp. Walking over to stop him, Gaara turned to face him.

"Shouldn't the police be here by now?" The redhead asked with a hint of amusement, his pale green eyes glowing.

"Give. Me. The bag." He hissed, angry beyond comprehension.

"It does not belong to you..."

"It's mine and so is Naruto..." He said while stepping closer. "Give it back."

"Naruto's not a possession and you've lost the right to call him yours the moment you considered your brother anything but." Gaara announced in his usual tone. "Naruto asked me to get his things meaning he's not planning to return. The two of you should stop deluding yourselves."

"Where. Is. He?"

"That's something you'll never find out…" The redhead said before opening the door leading outside. "…You might want to go check on your brother by the way… I think he's too old for afternoon naps…" Gaara added before slamming the door shut behind him.

…

…

Walking around the small suburb while talking to his brother had been a pleasant experience, not only were the surroundings beautiful and overwhelming but their conversation had made his pain subdue somewhat and he had realized just how much he had missed his sibling. Even though Kyuubi had changed, he was still the brother he remembered him to be, caring and protective. Talking to him he had found out about his sibling's friends, profession and interests, but Kyuubi had yet to talk about his family and his childhood.

Deciding to take the matter in his own hands he gently questioned him about it once they reached the house and sat down by the open fireplace in the living room.

"How about your family…?" He asked once Kyuubi finished poking at the fire and sat down beside him on the red couch. "Do they live nearby?"

"….. No, not really… Tsunade and Jiraiya live in the northern part of Obihiro… that's about 4 miles from here…" His brother sighed.

"Why do you-"

"You mean why I call them by their names?" Kyuubi asked before continuing to speak as he saw him nod. "Well, they adopted me at the age of fifteen so I never really considered them my parents… more like an aunt and a perverted uncle…"

"Perverted uncle…?"

"Mmm… he writes pornographic novels for a living…"

"…"

"…"

"So that's why you have a whole shelf stacked with them…"

"…..Mmm… he keeps giving me one every time we meet…"

"…"

"Tell me about it…" Kyuubi said, rolling his eyes before chuckling lightly.

"Um…..do you have any other siblings then?" He questioned with slight curiosity.

"Mmm…. Nagato and Yahiko…"

"Two brothers?"

"Yeah… Yahiko's their biological son while Nagato got adopted before me…. they're both 28…" Kyuubi said while staring at the flames. "They're practically inseparable; they even work at the same company…."

"….. You've got three little brothers then…" He stated with a nervous grin.

"Mmm…." Kyuubi smiled.

"How are they like?"

"… Yahiko's always reminded me of you… cheerful, confident, never backing down on his word and keeping his promises. Nagato… he's the exact opposite… quiet, possessive and straight to the point…"

"… Are you close?" He continued, suddenly afraid that he might be intruding.

"Hmm… we used to be… but we don't see each other very often nowadays… We're all pretty busy with work…"

"Oh…"

"Mmm…"

"… So… what happened before they adopted you?" He lightly approached. He had always wondered about it.

"…" Kyuubi didn't answer at first and just stared at the flickering flames in fireplace but once he began to speak his voice sounded cold and detached. "…The… other families and I didn't get along too well…"

Frowning in concern at the statement, he regarded his brother worriedly. Kyuubi's demeanor had suddenly changed, he looked more solemn and his eyes were slightly dim, still fixated on the fire.

"So I… often ended up at the orphanage again…" His brother stiffly continued, his gaze not wavering. "But… it worked out alright in the end… Jiraiya and Tsunade eventually adopted me… so there's not that much to talk about really…"

He continued to study his brother's face. Even though Kyuubi didn't go into detail, he could pretty much figure out what he had happened, especially judging by his brother's behavior. While he had been treated badly by many families himself before he was adopted by Kakashi, it had never been anything serious. Kyuubi, however, had apparently not been blessed with a wonderful family like himself until much later. He had been placed in different homes only to be sent back to the orphanage again and again; abuse, neglect and resentment being possible reasons for it.

He suddenly felt bad for troubling his brother with his worries, after all, how could infidelity compare with child abuse?

"Don't worry, Naruto." Kyuubi suddenly spoke, facing him this time, looking less grave. "What's in the past stays in the past, right? Don't think too much of it…"

"But I've been troubling you-"

"Stop it, Naruto. You're not troubling me at all… don't worry…" Kyuubi said with a pained smile. "Right now it's you who's hurting, not me…"

Quieting down, he gave his brother a small smile. Though, unawares to his siblings, his eyes were still scrunched up with worry as they secretly regarded him.

0-0-0-0

"Have you… decided where you'd like to stay?" His brother softly inquired after a while, looking at the fire again, though this time out of nervousness and not out of misery.

"Yeah… I think it will be best if I… maybe… stay here…."

"Huh?" Kyuubi said while slowly turning to blink at him in surprise, obviously not expecting the answer. "You… really mean it? You want to stay here… with me?"

"Yeah, if you… still want me to… that is…" He mumbled, suddenly feeling awkward. Had his brother only made that up? Was it merely offered out of politeness and not sincerity?

"Of course! I mean… of course you can." His brother exclaimed before rising to his feet, his eyes much brighter. "Just… stay here, I'll prepare the room for you…" Kyuubi happily motioned before turning to walk out of the room, preventing him from objecting.

Seeing him walk toward the doors, he heard him mumble to himself. "… I've got to fix that lamp… and the key…where did I put it… the desk? No. The dresser? No, I didn't put it there…"

Staring owlishly at the double doors his brother vanished out of, he could still hear the distant mumbling as Kyuubi waltzed around the place. Feeling the sides of his mouth tug into a smile, he leaned back against the couch, sighing. His brother truly was a goof-ball and it seemed he had gotten that particular aspect from their father too.

Nevertheless, he didn't regret his choice. His brother was a good man and a caring one at that. He only wondered how his life would be like from now on, together with his brother in the outskirts of Obihiro, Hokkaidou, Japan.

Would he be happy?

Would he be able to move on?

Would he forget them?

…

€$¥ **Information** €$¥

_* Unfortunately that's true, homosexuality isn't socially accepted. Even though yaoi, shounen-ai, yuri and all of that are from Japan, it's not that common amongst people. If you were to ask a Japanese if he/she reads any yaoi or watch any anime that contain such content, the answer would most likely be 'no' and they'd probably think you were weird to ask such a question. Toukyou is one of the cities where homosexuality's more accepted. For instance, they have certain districts were gay people can meet and hang out, clubs and bars etcetera. But elsewhere it's very unusual and criticized, especially in rural areas. In addition, it's also true that many families shun their children once they confess about being homosexual and that they also tell them to go get help and then return once they're "cured" and not before. The reason why families do this is because of the importance of the family name and social status. By having a homosexual son or daughter the family will immediately get criticized, look down upon and shunned by neighbors, co-workers and other people in society, even if the family itself accepts their son's or daughter's sexual orientation. Therefore, families do this in order to protect themselves and not put their family to shame, which the people concerned and other nationalities might consider unbelievably cruel and horrible, but that's just the way it is. However, it is slowly yet fortunately changing with time._

_* If you need to contact the police in Japan, you dial 110. The fire and medical emergency number is 119._

…

**^:_:^ =^_^=**

**Thank you so much for reading this, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for taking your time to review! I love to read your comments; they make me so happy… I tend to get tear-eyed….yes, I'm lame I know, but you're so sweet…. Thank you!**

**Sorry about the large information part, but I thought it was important to share it with you. If you're wondering how I found out about this, then my Japanese teacher, who's Japanese, told me about it during an interview about the subject.**

…

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**blueberry:** Thanks for understanding ;). Yeah, hehe, I hope you liked the suffering the Uchihas went through in this chapter too… Thank you for the sweet words!

**dashlee:** Hehe, I hope you cried from laughing too hard and not from despair then. XD I hope you liked this chapter too, thank you for the review! Hey, that rhymed! ;)

**kasai chii:** Thank you for reviewing twice, I really appreciate it. Even though it makes me motivated to write faster, unfortunately updates will take some time. School's pure torment and since I'm starting college soon, it might get worse. But stay positive, I will finish this and hopefully update as soon as I can. Hope you liked the chapter!

**Sentouki:** I'm glad you liked Gaara; he's one of my favorites too. I hope you liked him in this chapter as well then, since he finally got to use that ax…*chuckles* Thank you for the sweet words, I'm happy you enjoy reading it!

**enchanted nightingale:** Thank you! Hope you liked this chapter too!

**DarkEra'Ssnow:** Thank you! Though, I hope you don't find the drama so unrealistic that it becomes amusing instead, because I try to add some humor to it yet trying to keep it as realistic as possible… Thank you for reviewing. I hope you liked this chapter!

**-siarafaerie-101-miss:** Thanks for reviewing twice, I really appreciated it! As I've said before, updates might take some time, but I hope you'll continue on reading nevertheless. Hope you liked the new chapter!

**a kitsune's light:** Sorry about the evil cliffy, but as an author I tend to like them. They're horrible for a reader, I know, but to an author they're the opposite…especially if you're evil *chuckle*…anyway…XD Thanks for reviewing! Hope you liked this chapter too!

…

**Feel free to review if you have the time and feel like it, it is always appreciated if you do.**

**Take care. Hugs =^_^=**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: O'hisashiburi desu.

Thank you for your patience! Please don't kill me… *hides behind a murderous looking Gaara*

Douzo!

Unbeta-ed.

**Warnings:** **Language, slight OOC, 424 manga spoilers. :)**

…

"Speaking"

'_Thinking'_

_-¥-¥-¥-¥- = new flashback scene_

…

… _(Long double lines) = change of scenery/new scene._

_oooo (One small o-line) = after a short amount of time __**or**__ change of point of view._

…

…

…

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 6_

Silence.

Before the incident he had cherished moments like these, the quiet and peaceful ones. They had helped him relax, to get his strength back after a hard week of constant stressful tasks, letting himself get the rest his body so badly needed, but now…

He hated it.

The silence was suffocating and it was not peaceful as his nerves kept wracking, the nasty habit of nail biting making itself known. He couldn't relax nor rest as everything tore at his soul and body, a pain that wouldn't ease or disappear. Memories kept resurfacing, repeating themselves, tearing him apart. Wounds were torn open repeatedly and fresh excruciating agony flowed out of them.

He couldn't stand it, he needed distractions, he needed noise and movement, he wanted to stop feeling, to be ignorant and forget everything. He didn't want to feel like this because it hurt too much, it hurt so badly. Why couldn't he just let them go?

He had awoken on the couch to find the house empty and eerie, the quiet humming of the air conditioner and his heavy breathing being the only distinguishable sounds. Kyuubi had presumably already gone to work as sunbeams now illuminated the room, his tired eyes squinting painfully at the sudden brightness.

His brother had apparently been considerate enough not to wake him as he couldn't recall having fallen asleep in the first place. He remembered them to have been chatting and munching on raamen by the fireplace, talking about their plans for the evening and then the next thing he knew he was laying on the couch with a blanket around him with sunbeams shining into his eyes.

It was odd that he had fallen asleep so easily, being incredibly vulnerable in such a condition. Though, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened, five days ago he had slumbered in the arms of his brother whilst outside in the rain and then on several other occasions when the Uchihas had been present. He didn't know whether it was because he was exhausted, slightly intoxicated or due to the fact that he felt safe enough to show that particular side. Thinking more deeply about it, he surmised that it might have been a little bit of each.

Despite not having known Kyuubi for a long time, he strangely enough felt as if they had never parted. He couldn't explain the feeling of tranquility and security he felt each time he was around the other male. Perhaps it was because they were family or that they understood each other so well. Frankly, he did not really care. He trusted his brother and he felt less pained around him, so why should he question it?

0-0-0-0

Gripping the blond locks upon his head, he let his hand travel downwards across his face, sighing as he did so, at total loss of what to do. He had done about everything to keep himself occupied, doing chores like house cleaning, trying to keep those painful thoughts at bay but as soon as he finished a task the thoughts would resurface, leaving pain and anguish in their wake.

He was tired of feeling like this, crying over them and his own misery. He knew that it wouldn't change anything, it wouldn't erase their deeds and connection to him but he couldn't help it.

He didn't want to remember them, how they were and the things they did. He wanted to forget, to make it all go away, but he knew that it wouldn't happen. They would continue to haunt his mind, his dreams, his very being. The first time they met, their time in high school, their dates, their graduation, their intimate encounters and the proposal; every single memory that used to bring him happiness would now pierced his heart like a dagger, deep, swiftly and excruciatingly.

**-¥-¥-¥-Flashback-¥-¥-¥-**

"_Come on you moron, we're gonna be late for class." Sasuke impatiently groaned, leaning against the lockers and crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for him to finish. His pitch black hair with navy blue highlights was a vivid contrast against the white shirt of their uniform, bangs parted on top of his head to rest on the sides, short and spiky in the back with gel._

"_I know, jerk, but I can't find the damn writing pad." He snarled, rummaging through his locker for the particular one he used for English. He knew he put it in there somewhere…_

"_You should clean you locker once in a while, dimwit, then we wouldn't face this predicament every time."_

"_Shut up, bastard..." He muttered, rearranging textbooks and papers in search for it. "Aha! I've found it!" He exclaimed once he spotted it behind a bag of chips, dusting it off before tucking it inside his bag, running to catch up to the raven now a few meters ahead of him._

…

…

"_Damn that bastard, he said he was going to get some snacks and that was more than 20 minutes ago…" He grumbled, pouting on his best friend's bed as he stared at the closed door, waiting for Sasuke to come back upstairs._

_They had decided to hang out at Sasuke's place to watch some movies in his room, but when Sasuke had gone downstairs to grab some snacks, the minutes had kept on passing and he had never returned._

_Finally having had enough of waiting, he walked downstairs, his eyebrow twitching in anger at his best friend's indifference. Onigiri didn't take that much time to prepare, especially if they were bought at the supermarket. Did he do this on purpose?_

_Hearing the microwave beep on his way to the kitchen, he pulled the door open and yelled. "You bastard! Why the hell did you..." He stopped in midsentence once he entered, noticing an unfamiliar person at the dinner table while Sasuke could be seen by the stove, both looking at him with identically raised eyebrows. "Oh… I'm… I'm sorry..." He blushed before turning on his heels to walk upstairs, his face flaming from embarrassment._

_Who the hell was that and why did he look so much like the bastard? Not only that, but why was his heart pounding like he had just run a marathon?_

_Hearing his name being called as he reached the last step to the second floor, he froze in place before turning around to see his best friend standing by the landing looking irritated. "You moron, come back down…"_

"_But you've-"_

"_That's just Itachi, my older brother… he stopped by to grab some things and forced me to make him a snack…" Sasuke muttered with the slightest traces of a pout on his face as he crossed his arms._

_Brother? _

"_That's your brother?" He asked in disbelief, shock evident on his face. Sasuke always talked about the guy but what he had pictured inside his head from his words seemed to be everything but accurate. _

_Itachi didn't look like a devil incarnated idiot with a tree trunk up his ass. In fact, that description seemed to fit the younger brother better. Inwardly snickering at his thoughts, he raised an eyebrow. "That's the devil incarnated idiot with a tree trunk up his ass?"_

"_Y-"_

"_My, my, dear little brother, is that what you've been telling your friends…?" A purring dark voice said, making them both freeze as the male from the kitchen stepped forward from the shadows, a teasing smirk on his face._

"_N-no..." Sasuke answered, before turning around to glare up at him. "Naruto's just making things up… right, Naruto?" His best friends said with a twitch of an eyebrow and a fake smile, his eyes promising a fate worse than death if he disobeyed. _

"_Y-Yeah…" He nervously smiled, scratching the back of his neck while laughing falsely. "I was just… kidding; yeah… it was just a joke… hehe…"_

"_Oh, really…?" Sasuke's brother said with a raised eyebrow, obviously not buying their little excuse yet deciding to ignore it. "So you must be Uzumaki Naruto then… I've heard a lot about you. Let me properly introduce myself, I'm Uchiha Itachi... It's a pleasure to finally meet you." The man continued in the same husky voice, inclining his head before observing him._

"_Y-yeah, nice to meet you…" He politely bowed, face flushing as those smoldering dark eyes stayed fixed on his form._

…

…

_He didn't understand what it was. _

_Every time he looked at the other male, talked to him or heard him speak, his heart would speed up and his face would flush. He was always on his mind, his words, his face, his voice, his smirk. No matter what he occupied himself with, the thoughts would return, leaving him puzzled and afraid._

_What was happening to him?_

_Itachi's voice was dark and husky, gentle and soothing against his eardrums, his face beautiful, not a single blemish or unperfected feature, his skin elegantly pale and smooth. The dark hairs that fell across his shoulders or were tied in a loose ponytail look soft to the touch and the charcoal eyes that at moments seemed lifeless shone with emotion each time their eyes met. _

_Why did his thoughts paint such words?_

_He couldn't understand what was wrong with him._

_Why did he think of him all the time? Why did he take pleasure in knowing he could make the man smile? Why did that smile make him so unbelievably happy? Why did he shiver in his presence, his face flushing and his nether parts stirring from their close proximity? _

_What was wrong with him? He liked girls… didn't he?_

_Not knowing what to make of it, he tried to avoid him, making up excuses not to visit his best friend, saying he was busy or that they could hang out at his place instead. He knew that Itachi rarely visited his family because of his busy life as a college student but he didn't want to take any chances, especially since Itachi had tended to show up each time he visited Sasuke._

_Soon this pattern changed as well and he started to distance himself further, choosing to spend more time with Gaara, Kiba and Neji instead, more or less ignoring his best friend. Sasuke was outraged of course and confronted him about it, demanding to know what had happened and why he was ignoring him. _

_However, he never told him why, he just couldn't. It was sick and gross, how could Sasuke ever look at him again without having to recoil in disgust?_

_He thus continued to hide as the days went by, trying to cut ties with his best friend, but on one particular day something peculiar happened. _

"_Naruto…?"_

_Almost dropping his textbook, he stared at his bedroom door in shock. _

"_Wha-What are you doing here, Itachi?" He gasped, blinking as if thinking this was yet another dream._

"_Sasuke told me about what happened… I thought I should stop by to ask you about it." This was most definitely not a dream, that voice and those eyes, it had to be real. "Iruka let me inside…"_

_Averting his gaze, he mumbled out a response as he felt a pang in his chest at the words, his hopes being crushed. "Oh…" Of course Itachi wouldn't have come here for another reason other than helping his brother; of course he wouldn't feel the same._

"_He tells me that you are avoiding him, why is that? Has he done anything to upset you?"_

"_N-no… I… just… I'd rather not talk about it…" He stuttered out, uncomfortable with talking to someone he had tried to avoid. Feeling his knees grow weak, he sat down on his bed, trying to calm his raising heartbeat. _

"… _My brother has changed since your friendship… ended…. He barely sleeps and his eating habits have worsened…" Itachi frowned, trying to capture his gaze. "If he has done nothing wrong then why are you doing this?"_

"_I…"_

"_I'm not trying to put the blame on you or judge you in any way but if you still consider him your friend then please try to talk to him again. He needs you…" The dark haired man said, his expression not portraying the pleading emotion in his eyes._

"_I'll try…" He answered, irate at himself for having caused his best friend so much pain. He hadn't known that he meant that much to him but he was glad nonetheless. "For Sasuke…"_

"_Good…" _

_Seeing the raven walk back toward the door, his heart dropped and he had to fight the urge to cry, looking down at his hands distractedly. Having had these feelings for so long, he had finally realized that he was in love but in a man that would never love him back, a love that was forbidden despite his parent's luck._

_The people at school were right, weren't they? He really was the freak they called him, of course no one would-_

"_Naruto…?"_

_Lifting his gaze toward the voice a little startled, he suddenly found himself face to face with his infatuation, their breaths intermingling. Not having suspected it at all, he flinched and drew his head back only to notice the other following and closing in._

"_Naruto…" Itachi whispered, staring down at him with soft eyes, his brows furrowing worriedly. "Why are you crying?"_

_He turned his head to side, staring at the carpet below them, refusing to embarrass himself any further. Itachi should leave and let him be as it only rubbed more salt into the wounds, boys his age shouldn't cry and he was sure that Itachi would find him pathetic for doing so. _

_Feeling his left shoulder being grasped, he turned to face the other male once more, seeing concerned dark eyes staring into his own. "Don't cry, Naruto… I'm sure that whatever's troubling you will be alright…"_

_He let a few additional tears escape his eyes at the gentle words, touched by the raven's kindness. He couldn't take this anymore, why was he being so kind? He had hurt his brother, why should he care? "I-Itachi, please… could you-" 'Please leave' was what he had intended to say before he was silenced by the action of being pushed backwards onto the bed._

_Completely frozen from shock, he watched Itachi's face move in closer, the larger body straddling his own, determined obsidian gazing into his surprised cobalt blue. "Wha…?" He managed to choke out, taken aback and confused. _

"…_" _

_An electrifying current instantly went through him as those soft lips touched his own in a chaste but firm kiss and goose bumps spread across his skin like wildfire in response, his eyes grew impossibly wider, gasping to let that tongue sensually slide inside._

**-¥-¥-END of flashback-¥-¥-**

…

…

'_Why… Itachi..?'_

'_Was I just a fuck-toy to you?'_

Squeezing his eyes shut, he let a few tears escape beneath his eyelids as he unsteadily exhaled, trying to calm down.

It hurt so badly, why wouldn't it stop? He couldn't take it anymore.

He hated it. He had never hated anything this much in his life. He was so sick of crying and feeling this way, helpless, self-pitying, sullen and despaired.

Why should he suffer? Why should he always be the one to suffer? What he had ever done to deserve it?

Existing? Being who he was?

Was that it? Was that the fucking reason?

He had done everything. He had taken care of everyone. He had always been there, always. He had tried his hardest, he had fought and struggled, and for what?

To be cheated on and hurt? To be betrayed be those he loved?

Why?

Was he really that unlovable? Was he really the disgusting freak people used to call him? Unworthy of happiness and love? Meant to be broken and detested?

Gripping his locks tightly, he shook his head, trying to wield the depressive thoughts away. Torturing himself like this wouldn't help him in the least, he had to be strong. However, he didn't know how to begin.

He still loved them...

How could he move on when they held a piece of his heart? When he couldn't think about anything except them and their memories together? Of that painful day?

How?

The death of his parents, the mouthing and beatings at high school, the unrequited love, none of it compared to this moment. At those times he had been able to forget, suppress, endure it and move on. Now those methods were as useless as he felt and he was lost.

Back then he had always had something to keep him going, his friends, his family, and his love. He had Kyuubi now, but the thought of losing him or thinking that it was too good to be true still remained and unnerved him. Happiness never seemed to linger in his grasp, it was only a matter of time before it would be replaced by further pain and suffering and he didn't know if he would be able to survive it.

Averting his gaze from his thighs to the window, he observed the dying forest that stretched itself around them. The naked trees stood unsteadily upon the mattered earth and their leafless branches swayed in the faint breeze, undoubtedly creaking in an eerie manner. The cold and icy blue sky above them mirrored the empty sapphires that regarded it, the weak sunbeams reflected his faded blond hair, the swirling dark clouds his shrunken pupil and the light breeze the pain that swept through his core.

Noticing movements and blurs from the corner of his eye to his left, he stiffly turned his head to regard the neighbors raking leaves off the ground, children playing around them, their faces filled with joy and laughter, their merry voices piercing the silence.

It hit him then, staring at happy family through the window across the room.

He should not give up.

He should not let them break him like this.

What had happened had happened and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't change it or make it undone. They had chosen each other and despite the pain the announcement brought him, he should just try to accept that.

He and Itachi were just not meant to be, even though he had believed so in the past. Sasuke and Itachi were brothers, they had always loved each other, been there for each other, how could the love he held for them compare to that? He couldn't compete against it and finally knowing the truth, he didn't want to anymore.

A part of him thought it was strange that he wasn't repulsed by the whole ordeal, but in a way he guessed it was because deep down he had always known. Their sudden disappearances, the strange noises from the guest room on certain nights, the constant limping and visible bruises, the lack of intimacy between himself and his former fiancé, the large amount of dirty sheets and Sai's subtle hints. The signs had always been there but he had just been to naïve, ignorant and unwilling to notice.

He wondered if accepting it at that time would have changed anything. Would he had left them sooner and would he have been happier? Would the discovery of finding them in bed together have been less painful and shocking? Would he have speared himself the vicious heartache?

He lightly shook his head again to erase the thoughts, knowing that the questions were a waste of time. Slowly rising to his feet, he walked toward the hallway, knowing Kyuubi would be home at any moment.

0-0-0-0

Stepping out of the black van, he shivered as cold air caressed his skin, his shoulders hunching up closer to his face in an attempt to get warmer as his eyes roved around the surroundings.

His gaze immediately fell upon the new modern skyscraper, towering before him several floors up high. The thousand identical windows reflected the weak afternoon sun, the glass shining clearly.

"Damn it's cold outside…" Kyuubi said as he came to stand beside him, rubbing his hands together lightly. "Let's get inside before we'll freeze to death…"

Nodding absentmindedly, he walked beside his brother with his hands down his pant pockets as they passed the lonely square in front of the tall building.

He had a very bad feeling about this.

Kyuubi had convinced him to meet his younger brothers, saying that they all should get to know each other since they were all practically family, his sibling's smile being so bright that the option of declining flew out the window. However, he could not help but fear the outcome.

He was afraid of what they would think of him, barging in on their brother like this. They would probably question his sincerity, thinking he was some kind of fraud that tricked their brother into believing him. According to Kyuubi they had already been informed yet he had a feeling that it wouldn't have convinced them. Though, in a way it was only natural. They cared about Kyuubi and wanted him out of harm's way and letting a complete stranger move in with him by stating that they were related would certainly raise suspicion.

Exhaling deeply, he rubbed his hands along his upper arms to establish some warmth while they reached the automatic doors, letting the heat of the room surround them.

Kyuubi immediately strode toward the reception desk before telling him to stay put while he would talk to them. Seeing his brother pull his wallet out of his jacket and address the lithe female receptionist, he sighed and looked around the place, admiring the delicate interior design and decorations.

The walls were plain white and simple but the paintings, sculptures and plants that decorated the large room made the place look beautiful and inviting. Turning his gaze toward his brother after having examined a particular painting with a lone tree in a meadow, he noticed Kyuubi turn around and motion him to come forward.

"Yahiko and Nagato want us to meet them at their office, so we'll have to take the elevator…" Kyuubi frowned once he approached him, stuffing his identification back in his wallet before shifting his gaze to his face again. "One of their co-workers will take us there… new policy apparently…"

Nodding, he looked around in search for the person the brothers had sent to help them, expecting a petite women like the receptionist. He was soon proved wrong as he was met by icy blue eyes and long golden hair on a person that unmistakably appeared to be anything but female. Lean muscles rippled underneath black dusted dress pants and a barely unbuttoned white shirt, a black tie hanging loosely from a slender neck.

"Ah, Mr. Katsuhiko*, I see the brats are letting you do the dirty work again…" Kyuubi smirked once the blond man reached them. "Has your boss finally fired you?"

"You wish, Namikaze… I just happened to be on my way down so I thought I might stop by, un…" The blond man smirked, leering at him with his visible eye as the other momentarily stayed hidden beneath his bangs, the hairstyle frighteningly similar to Ino's. "And who might this be, hmm?"

"That's none of your business, Katsuhiko. Now, take us to their office before we'll go up there ourselves…"

"Oh, but haven't you heard of the new house policy? All visitors must be identified before reaching any floors, not to mention that they cannot visit unaccompanied by authorized personal, un…"

"… This is my brother Uzumaki Naruto, which I have told the receptionist _and _my brothers, now get us there before I'll call them to convince your boss to have you fired once and for all."

"… Brother?" The man said regarding him questioningly, ignoring Kyuubi and his threat.

"Yes, -"

"….. Ah, forgive my rudeness, allow me to introduce myself, I'm Katsuhiko Deidara, Akatsuki's spokesman and PR-consultant; it's a pleasure to meet you." The blond haired man announced, stretching his hand out to grasp his, keeping the smirk in place all the while.

"A-ah, nice to meet you…" He murmured shakily and subtly tried to break his hand free of his grasp, unable to identify the foreign glint within that eye.

"The pleasure's all mine … come along then, Yahiko's not known for his patience…"

"Oh, really? I wouldn't know…" Kyuubi sarcastically replied before following him, glaring daggers at Deidara's back.

…

…

Riding up the elevator to the top floor, Kyuubi and Deidara glared at each other while he quietly observed the two. Since the two had met their argument had gotten worse, though finally having stopped verbally, they were now glaring each other to death.

Rolling his eyes at their childish behavior, he sighed before gazing into the mirror in front of him on the opposite wall. Compared to the reflection that used to stare back at him, the one facing him now looked a little healthier and brighter. His skin wasn't as sickly pale anymore and despite the weary bags and dull eyes, he was starting to resemble his old self somewhat.

He guessed he had his brother to thank for that. The unconditional care and support he was shown was unbelievable and without a doubt the reason for his recovery. If things would have turned out differently, meaning if Kyuubi would have rejected him, he didn't think he would have made it. The pain from the deceit along with the rejection would have broken him so badly that he doubted he wouldn't have tried to end his life.

While he wasn't suicidal and had never imagine himself to be, experiencing so much pain in one day would definitely have made him consider it. At that point, when you are suffering so unbearably, friends and family won't be that much of a comfort unless they're actually there, and then death won't seem that unimaginable anymore.

Hearing a voice announce their arrival at the twentieth floor, he turned his head towards his brother and Deidara only to notice them still glaring. Sighing once more, he stepped out of the elevator. Feeling the two follow him closely he slowed down to let them take the lead.

Walking through the corridor, he ignored their ongoing bickering. Despite their childish antics, it was apparent that they didn't hate each other since their glares and words lacked earnest feelings of hatred. It somehow painfully reminded him of himself and Sasuke, always at each other's throats.

As he contemplated further, absently registering Deidara's and Kyuubi's blurry backs and flailing arms, he was pulled out of his stupor as a door slammed shut with deliberate force. Turning his gaze towards the sound, his breath suddenly got caught in his throat and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

'_Itachi!'_

…

…

Reaching the second floor, he passed the many doors on his way to Sai's apartment, his footsteps echoing in the lonely corridor, slightly muted by the sounds of the droning traffic in the far distance. Once he approached door number fifteen, he raised his hand to knock on it firmly. Having done so twice, he heard some rustling before the lock was unlocked and the door opened.

"Ah, Neji, come on in..." Sai said once he spotted him, opening the door wider to let him enter. "The others just arrived a few minutes ago…"

Bending down to pull his derbies off, he noticed Gaara's laced boots and Kiba's casual sneakers neatly arranged below him on the floor. Adding his own to the row, he straightened up and followed Sai into the living room.

There he was met by the sight of the redhead and the brunet sipping on some beer and watching television. While he went over to them, Sai turned to the left, probably wanting to grab something from the kitchen.

"Ah, Neji, man, what's up?" Kiba exclaimed once he approached them, rising from the couch to greet him. "You look pale dude, want some beer?" The Inuzuka gestured towards the table where several cans conveniently were placed.

"No thanks, Kiba, I'm fine…" He muttered, internally rolling his eyes at the question, seating himself down on the couch next to Gaara. Kiba and alcohol was never a good combination, the man could not hold his liquor well at all.

"How about tea?" Sai asked while emerging from the kitchen, a tray with cups and a teapot in his hands, as if already having known his answer.

"Thanks…" He said, not at all surprised at the preparation. He did drink tea a lot. Sighing, he threaded his fingers through his tresses.

"… Kiba's right, you know…" Sai said, eyebrows furrowing while he poured tea into two cups. "When was the last time you got some decent sleep?"

"I'm fine… could we please change the subject?"

Sighing exasperatingly, Sai put the teapot down, seating himself as well. "We're all upset about Naruto but there's no need to-"

"No need to worry, is that it?"

"No, that's not-"

"Naruto's in Hokkaidou, all by himself, with some stranger he thinks is his brother." He hissed, his tired state having affected him more than he thought. "How can I not worry?"

"Neji… calm down." Gaara interrupted, more like ordered, but he didn't care.

"Calm down? Why are you all so calm? Our best friend is gone and you don't even seem to care."

"Neji…"

"Gaara did smash their kitchen…" Kiba added, but quieted down as three glares were sent his way.

"Why aren't we trying to find him? I just… I just don't understand….. why won't he tell us where he is?"

"….. He wants some time on his own… and he's afraid the Uchihas might find him…" Sai continued in a soft voice.

"….. He said that?"

"No, but it's obvious… a part of him thinks they wouldn't care while the other knows better. He doesn't want to face them so he rather suffers alone…"

"But that's insane-" Kiba frowned before Sai interrupted him.

"Yes, I know but it's what he wants…We should try to accept that until he tells us otherwise…"

"Accept it…?" He repeated incredulously, glaring at his friend.

"Neji…"

"That might be a simple task for you, to just distract yourself and forget about him, but it is not easy for me. I've been quiet for too many years, always observing them, not being able to tell him how much I…" He quieted down once he noted that he had said too much, shifting his gaze towards the steaming cup in his hands.

"… You love him, don't you?" Sai gently enquired. "More than just a friend..?"

"…Yes…" He reluctantly confessed, not removing his gaze from the dark liquid, feeling awkward and uneasy.

"How long…?"

"…About seven years now…" He sighed after a few seconds, having deliberated on whether to tell them the truth or not.

Like Sasuke and Kiba, he had known the blond for ten years, since he first started high school. But it had not been until graduation that he had realized that the feelings he felt for him were more than those of friendship.

"Seven…? But you've dated-"

"They never lasted more than a month. Male or female didn't matter. I just… kept comparing them to him… and none of them were…"

He had tried dating other people in order to forget about his crush when Naruto had announced his relationship with Itachi but it never worked out. Those people weren't the one he wanted and they could never be. It didn't matter if they were nice, beautiful or unique. His heart already belonged to someone else.

"… How come you never said anything?"

Raising his head, he watched the other three, noticing them all observing him with attentive gazes. There was no disgust in their eyes and for that he was grateful but he still felt uncomfortable talking about it.

"It isn't normal…" He finally responded, though quietly, referring to society's views on homosexuality.

"Who gives a fuck what other people think?" Kiba exclaimed and slightly swayed in his seat. Whether the brunette's cheeks were flushed from embarrassment or the amount of alcohol he had consumed, he couldn't tell. "We would never judge you. Hell, Naruto came out six years ago and no one cared!"

"Naruto's different…"

"Care to elaborate?" Sai added with a raised eyebrow.

"… As a Hyuuga I'm supposed to continue the family line, get married and reproduce. Not to mention that Hiashi's never liked Naruto or the Hatakes _because _of their sexual orientation. How do you think he would react if he found out I was in love with Naruto? " He sighed, returning his gaze toward his cup.

"Hiashi's an asshole." Gaara spoke, never having liked Hinata's father either. "But nevertheless he cares about you and Hinata. He wouldn't shun you even if you told him because Hinata would never allow it and he cannot afford losing you both."

"Well, even if he would understand, it's not like it would change anything. Because even though Naruto has broken off the engagement with Itachi, he still loves him…" He continued, his heart wrenching painfully at his own words, but there was no use in denying the truth. "He could never love me the way I love him…"

Not needing to raise his head to know that pitiful gazes were sent his way, he mirthlessly laughed. "Pathetic, aren't I? … I've been crushing on my best friend for seven years yet I never told him. I feared the reaction of others and once I found the courage to tell him, he fell in love with another."

"… It might not be too late…" Kiba said, futilely trying to cheer him up.

"It already is. Naruto might never return and he only thinks of me as a friend and nothing more, it will never happen. I guess it's just wasn't meant to be… Loneliness seems to be my fate."

…

…

Faintly hearing Kyuubi and Deidara murmuring something, he watched those obsidian eyes loom closer, fury blazing in their depths. Taking a few steps back, his mind reeled with possible things to say, excuses, anything. His heart began to race and his breathing quickened, his eyes widening as he backed up against the wall, trying to get as far away as possible.

'_No, no, no, not now, not now, not now…'_ He franticly repeated inside his head. He couldn't face him now. His heart wouldn't be able to handle any more pain, it was too fragile, too damaged.

His wide cobalt blue eyes watched every move the other male made, until they slowly narrowed into a frown.

Something was off… terribly so. Only a few feet away from each other, he noticed it.

Itachi wasn't quite as tall as the person in front of him nor were his shoulders that broad or his hair that unruly. There were no characteristic lines beneath those eyes, the nose and mouth were shaped slightly differently and Itachi didn't have his ear pierced. Observing the male as he passed him by, he slowly exhaled in relief once the man vanished out of sight, supporting himself against the wall behind him.

It hadn't been Itachi, just someone with frighteningly similar features.

Turning his gaze toward his company once he calmed down, his eyes met worried crimson and curious icy blue. He figured he must have made a scene, acting like that in the middle of the hallway of all places, though the Itachi-look-alike had not seemed to pay it any mind.

"Naruto, you okay?" Kyuubi asked, walking over to him carefully.

"Yeah, I'm okay… he just-"

"Frightening, isn't he?" Deidara stated with an unreadable expression, interrupting him.

He frowned, not having the slightest idea what the blond man was talking about. He didn't know Itachi, did he?

"Takagi Tobi… the head and founder of Akatsuki…" Deidara continued, this time with the usual smirk in place, moving his head in the direction where the Itachi-look-alike had gone. "You do not want to get on his bad side, un."

Observing the smirking blond as the male turned and started walking away, he and Kyuubi shared a look before slowly following, reaching the doubled door room a few steps ahead of them.

0-0-0-0

"Brother!" A ginger haired male exclaimed once they entered, rising from his chair by the conference table to walk up to them. "What took you so long?" The man's features were lightly scrunched up in a pout, chocolate brown eyes staring accusingly at his eldest sibling, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Blame Mr. Sunshine over there, he insisted on giving us a tour…" Kyuubi muttered, glaring past his gingered haired brother at Deidara by the table behind them, currently talking to another red haired male. "Not to mention that your boss scared the crap out of us on our way here…"

"Hmm, well… we just lost some stocks…" Fingers scratched a tanned cheek nervously, before brown eyes widened and turned to look at cobalt blue. "Oh… I'm so sorry, how rude of me… I'm Sannin Yahiko; it's a pleasure to meet you." The man apologetically said while quickly inclining his head in apology, tanned cheeks darkening with embarrassment, while stretching his hand out to greet him.

"No, i-it's ok, pleased to meet you t-too… I'm… Uzumaki Naruto…" He stammered in return, bowing like the other male, still a little shaken from the incident a few minutes earlier to have paid that much attention, shaking the hand of his brother's brother.

"So… you're from Toukyou, right? Does it-"

Hearing someone harrumph loudly, all eyes turned to look at the redhead currently standing behind Yahiko.

"Oh, Nagato, this is Uzumaki Naruto… Naruto, this is Sannin Nagato." Yahiko said, gesturing with his hand to and fro.

"It's nice to finally meet you." The redhead spoke with an inclination of his head, his long bangs covering most of his face.

"Yes, it's nice to meet you too…" He responded, returning the polite action, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable under the unwanted attention. "Um…"

"How about we ditch this place and go and get some dinner?" Kyuubi suggested, obviously having noticed his discomfort.

"Sure, sounds good to me, just let us get our things and then we'll get going…" Yahiko smiled before excusing himself and leaving the room with Nagato, walking through one of the room's many doors.

"Well, as much as I'd like to witness this interesting family gathering, I'm afraid I have to take my leave." Deidara announced before turning towards him, that smug smirk still in place. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Naruto. I hope we'll meet again soon." Winking, he left the room, leaving him stunned speechless while killing intent rolled off of Kyuubi in waves.

0-0-0-0

"You don't have to be nervous, Naruto, honestly..." Kyuubi reassured as they waited for the two men to show up, leaning against the huge table in the middle of the room while looking at him determinately. "Nagato and Yahiko are really good guys; you've got nothing to worry about."

"I just… won't they think it's odd? That I've just visited you out of the blue and now live with you?"

"Naaah, they're pretty understanding... Besides, they already know we're related and if they're still suspicious, I'm sure they'll change their opinion by the end of the day."

That didn't really make him less anxious, but Kyuubi was right.

However, they did have a reason for being suspicious since this whole ordeal was incredibly unusual and strange. He just hoped that they wouldn't be too judgmental. So far, his first impression of them was different from what he had expected. Yahiko was a lot like he used to be, cheerful and determined while Nagato seemed a little closed off and quiet.

He had imagined them to be more arrogant and prejudiced, but then again, he had just met them so he couldn't be too certain. Waiting with Kyuubi for the brothers to return, he looked around the room distractingly.

The big table Kyuubi leaned against was a light metallic one, quite modern and suitable for an office. Several black cushioned chairs surrounded it, about forty or so if he were to guess, the room obviously being intended for conferences and meetings. Hearing the distinctive sound of a door being opened, he turned to see Yahiko and Nagato standing by the door opening, dressed in their outerwear.

"Shall we get going then?" Yahiko asked, smiling at them.

"Mmm… Let's go." Kyuubi replied.

…

…

Arriving at Itamae, a cozy and beautiful restaurant in the city that served a wide range of delicious dishes and cuisines, they entered and ordered a table for four.

The waiter led them through the main room to a more secluded area, probably for businessmen and such, seeing as Nagato had requested a bit of privacy. The room was beautifully designed and decorated, its tables were of a nice mahogany and the matching chairs were equipped with maroon cushions that looked comfortable and inviting. Each table had a set of lit candles and a vase with cherry blossom sprays, creating a calm, gentle and relaxing atmosphere.

Yahiko and Nagato took the two seats next to each other, facing him and Naruto. Once they were seated, the waiter returned with wet towels so that they could clean their hands before their meal. A cute waitress served them tea and water while they read the menu.

"So… Naruto, any idea of what you might want?" He asked, seeing as Naruto was frowning.

"Eh… no, it's… um…" Naruto mumbled before looking at the menu once more.

"You don't have to worry about the price, just order whatever you want…" He said, assuming that his brother was fidgeting over the prices.

"But-"

"No buts, Naruto. You're our guest." Nagato stated, never taking his eyes off the menu.

Seeing as Naruto pouted but relented, his assumptions had been accurate. He knew that his youngest sibling felt uncomfortable with having everyone pay for him and that he hated to live off of others, but considering that he was their guest _and _brother, the blond would just have to endure it.

"I think I'll order a dish of bonito sashimi… Kyuubi…?" Yahiko announced and looked across the table at his brother.

"Hmm… I don't know… it's either grilled ayu or shabu-shabu with beef…" He answered, unsure about the two dishes. "But… I think I'll have the shabu-shabu…"

"How about you, Naruto?" Yahiko continued, though gently as not to appear demanding. "Have you decided yet?"

"Um… yeah, I think I'll have shabu-shabu as well…"

He smiled at Naruto's choice, but internally sighed. It was obvious that Naruto still felt uncomfortable and therefore ordered the same dish as him in order to not appear greedy and impolite. He reminded himself to have a little talk with him afterwards. He didn't want his brother to hesitate around him nor force himself to choose things he might not actually like.

"Ok, then that's one bonito sashimi and shabu-shabu for two… Nagato…?" The ginger haired male turned to look at his other brother, noticing the waiter patiently awaiting their orders.

"Make that shabu-shabu for three…" Nagato simply answered.

"… And what would you like to drink?" The waiter asked when they had all chosen what dish they would like, regarding them all.

"Let's order a bottle of red wine, shall we?" Yahiko smiled and turned to the waiter when none of them disagreed, ordering one of the wines on the menu list.

Seeing the dark haired man write down their orders before bowing and exiting, they began to converse, sipping on their pre-offered beverages.

"So, Naruto, how come you decided to visit your brother?" Yahiko began, not one for beating around the bush. "You haven't seen each other in what… 19 years, right?"

"I… when…" Naruto began, swallowing audibly, his eyes shifting nervously, obviously finding it difficult to talk about.

"It's personal, Yahiko." He interrupted, deciding to help his brother out, glaring at his red haired siblings. "He came here, we reunited and that's it. If you're going to interrogate him then you might as well leave."

"Jeez, bro', calm down, we're just curious..." Yahiko replied, slightly stunned, before turning to Naruto. "I apologize; we never meant to offend you-"

"N-no, it's ok, I understand…" Naruto replied, raising his hands slightly. Nodding toward him as if saying thanks, his youngest brother turned to the redheads. "After… after I found out my fiancée was unfaithful, I felt as if I couldn't stay in Toukyou any longer since we had many friends in common…"

"…" Seeing his brothers' slightly guilty-looking expressions, he turned his gaze towards his youngest one, noticing the glazy cobalt blue. It was evident that the incident still tormented him and that speaking of it was reopening the wounds he had tried to close, but Naruto really wanted the approval of his brothers and therefore continued despite the obvious pain it brought him.

"A few months earlier I found Kyuubi's add in the newspaper, the one where he wanted people to join the fitness program, and I instantly became curious." Naruto confessed, facing the other two yet regarding the chopsticks on the table beneath them, raising his gaze occasionally. "Kyuubi isn't a usual name and seeing as the gym lay in Obihiro, I had to look it up. I searched the net for the website and found Kyuubi's picture among the gym instructors… and then… I just knew… I know it may seem odd but I just… I had nothing to lose at that point…"

When Naruto quieted down, he glared at his other siblings. "Happy now…?"

"I…" Yahiko hesitantly began, silencing when their food arrived.

"Kyuubi… stop." Naruto pleaded once the waiter went away, begging him with his eyes to end the bickering. "They deserve to know since they're your brothers too…"

"Yes, but not if you're uncomfortable of talking about it…" He argued under his breath.

"Both of you, please…" Nagato pleaded, raising his hand to silence them both and to gain their attention. "We're sorry for forcing this out of you, Naruto, but I'm sure you understand our concern."

"I do… If I had been in a similar situation I'm sure I would have done the same… You're worried about your brother and I understand that, because I care about him too." Naruto spoke while pain and determination shone through his blue eyes. "I might not know him as well as you do but I hope to change that with time… if you will allow me to, that is…"

"…. Of course..." He and his two brothers answered simultaneously, their tone of voice being the only thing to tell them apart. His tone was loud and determined while Nagato's was calm and gentle and Yahiko's was hesitant yet firm.

"So… shall we eat before the food gets cold?" He suggested, seeing as everyone had quieted down and was staring at each other awkwardly.

Nodding affirmatively, his three younger brothers started eating while lightly continuing the conversation, talking and asking about family, occupation and interests. The redheads were careful not to hurt the blonde by asking too personal questions and tried their hardest not to appear too forward. Naruto did his best to answer and asked similar questions in turn.

0-0-0-0

Soon they were all talking eagerly, laughing, and drinking wine and sake, their food eaten and plates long gone. In fact, they were so preoccupied and distracted that they failed to notice the person observing them from a table a few meters away. A person who listened to their conversation and never took their eyes off a certain blond haired male…

…

€$¥£ **Information** €$¥£

* _Katsuhiko_ = Deidara's seiyuu (voice actor) is called Kawamoto Katsuhiko, not to mention that Deidara shouts "katsu" (smash, crack, blow) when he activates his explosive art, so I thought the name was appropriate. :) Oh, and I decided not to translate his use of 'un' since 'yeah', 'hmm' or 'uh-huh' seemed too weird for some reason, so instead they'll just be strange nasal-grunts.

_Takagi_ Wataru is the name of Tobi's voice actor in the anime. Uchiha Madara's seiyuu is _Uchida Naoya_, but 'Uchida' and 'Uchiha' are too similar so I chose to stick with 'Takagi'. I also thought _Takagi Tobi_ sounded quite nicely.

* _Shashimi and shabu-shabu _= _Sashimi_ is raw sliced seafood. Most types of sashimi are enjoyed with soy sauce and wasabi. _Shabu-shabu _(meaning 'swish-swish') is a dish similar to sukiyaki, that is, a form of hot pot. The reason it is called 'shabu-shabu' is because one submerses the pieces of meat in a pot of boiling water or broth and swishes them back and forth several times. Shabu-shabu is traditionally made with thinly sliced beef but it is sometimes made with pork and seafood as well. It's usually served with tofu, vegetables, mushrooms as well as udon and mochi.

…

**^:_:^ =^_^=**

**Dun dun dun dun…. Another cliffhanger, aren't I cruel? A late update and a cliffhanger, you surely must hate me now… *********hides behind**** Gaara***

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter despite its lateness. Thank you for reading and reviewing! ~ chuu (^.^)/**

…

∆∆∆∆∆∆ **REVIEW RESPONSES ∆∆∆∆∆∆**

**littlesnowfarie2005:** Who doesn't like yaoi? :) Thank you for the review!

**darke wulf:** Thank you and thanks for dropping a review! Hope you liked this chapter too.

**Sentouki:** Hehe, thank you for the encouraging review! I'm glad you liked it. Hope you liked this chapter as well, I'm sorry for taking so long.

**kasai chii:** Thanks for reviewing! I'm sorry about the lateness of the chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!

**blueberry:** I'm happy you liked Kyuubi, I've been quite unsure about him. Well, I haven't really thought about it, but yes, he totally is a mother hen. :) Thank you for your sweet and encouraging words! I hope you liked the chapter despite its lateness. *hugs*

**ShukakuKyuubi:** Thank you for reviewing twice! I hope this chapter explained some parts concerning Neji and Kiba's relationship. I'm actually a huge Itachi-fan too, so I'm not bashing anyone; don't hate him too much because of this story. :) I hope you liked this chapter despite its lateness.

**black55widow:** Thank you and thanks for reviewing! It's nice to hear that you find it well written, and that you think it's interesting due to the Japanese touch I've given it. I hope you liked this chapter as well.

**JtheChosen1:** Thank you for the sweet words and for the review! I'm happy to hear that you don't find the characters too OOC, since that's what I'm worried about at times. I'm sorry for the belated chapter but I hope you liked it nevertheless.

**yakunantenshi:** Thank you for the review! I'm sorry about the late update; I hope you liked this chapter nevertheless.

**xxsmilesRayrayxx:** Thanks for the review! I hope you liked this chapter as well.

**tocool4eyes:** Mmm… pie… I'd love one! Thank you for the wonderful review, I'm really glad you like it! I hope this chapter answered some of your questions and if not, I'm sure the upcoming ones will. *hugs*

**Lady of the frozen black flame:** I'm so sorry for the lateness of this chapter, and the delay of your review does not compare to this at all. Thank you for dropping one, I'm glad you like the story, hope you enjoyed this chapter too.

**Mickey8701:** If the reason you're reading this story is because of the smut and the lemons, then I suggest you turn

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**Arigatou gozaimasu, minna-san! Hontou ni gomen nasai.**

**If you have the time and feel like it, please review….**

**Take care. Hugs =^_^=**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters, they are all owned by Kishimoto Masashi nor do I make money out of writing this.

…

**A/N:** O'hisashiburi desu ne, minna-san?

Here's the new chapter.

Douzo!

Unbeta-ed.

**Warnings:** **INCEST, male/male,** **language, slight OOC, violence, etc. **

…

"Speaking"

'_Thinking'_

…

… _(Long double lines) = change of scenery/new scene._

_o-o-o-o (One small o-line) = after a short amount of time __**or**__ change of point of view._

…

…

…

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 7_

'_Yes, Itachi, oh my god, I will!' _The joyful words distantly echoed in mind as he absentmindedly regarded the diamond ring between his fingers.

He could still remember his response, his answer to his question, the proposal. The way those cerulean blue eyes had shone with happiness when he had spotted him, the tears of joy that had gathered around the edges, that beautiful bright smile.

Now he was gone…. as well as the happiness that memory used to bring. Only a numb feeling was left in its place, hiding the despair and anguish that desperately wanted to tear its way out at the sight of that ring - the diamond ring that once adorned his beloved's finger, a piece of jewelry that symbolized the love they held for each other, that used to tied themselves to one another.

The exquisite ring was in his grasp and no longer where it belonged, on its equally beautiful carrier. The ring seemed duller now, more lifeless, as if knowing the damage that had been done, knowing that it no longer represented love and commitment.

Stroking the surface where his beloved's finger once existed, he continued to regard it before gently placing it next to the necklace his love usually wore, a thin black rope carrying a turquoise gemstone, surrounded by two metal pieces.

…

…

Ceasing his insistent pounding on his brother's bedroom door, he let his balled fists fall to his sides, leaning against the door as worry clutched at his heart, his eyebrows furrowing to the point of pain.

His brother had been like this for a day now, locked up inside his room refusing to come out or even respond to his pleas. It all began when Itachi received the ring, when he noticed that all the photographs of Naruto were missing from their bedroom, the lack of clothes in the wardrobe and that the majority of the blonde's items were gone.

At first, Itachi had gotten slightly catatonic, just standing in the middle of the room staring at nothing but then realization had eventually grasped him and he had torn and smashed everything he could get his hands on, filled with rage and anguish at the painful outcome.

He had rushed to his brother's aid, trying to stop Itachi from hurting himself and tearing the house apart. But his sibling had struck him then, too enraged to care who had dared to cease his hand, causing him to fall on the floor and hit his head on the dresser.

Having had pulled himself off of the floor, his vision had caught sight of his paralyzed sibling staring down at him from above, dark eyes wide with shock and mouth slightly agape. He knew that Itachi had never meant to hurt him, being too distressed and tormented to think clearly, but even so, he had quietly left the room to let Itachi have some time alone, wanting to give him a chance to simmer down.

However…. that had apparently been a mistake and they were now in this predicament.

He knew his brother was hurting, because he was as well, but why did he push him away? Was it because he felt guilty for Naruto's departure and for striking him?

Did Itachi not want to face him because of it or did he blame him as well? Did he not wish to see him anymore because of their relationship having driven Naruto away? Had he stopped caring? Had Itachi finally realized he was nothing more than a brother?

Ignoring the prickling feeling in his eyes, he slowly exhaled. The person he loved aside from Itachi was gone and all he could do was to think about himself, worrying whether his brother would keep their relationship going or not. How selfish could he get?

Stumbling away from the door, he walked downstairs, determined to find the extra key to the bedroom. He would not let his brother do this to himself and he would not be ignored, they were both involved in this mess and should therefore solve it together.

0-0-0-0

Rummaging through the drawers in the storage room, he searched for the spare key he knew should be there somewhere. He had spent a lot more time over at his brother's house than in his own apartment so he practically knew the place like the back of his hand.

Although knowing where they kept the extra keys, he didn't know in which particular confinement they were, making it difficult to find them without losing his temper. He didn't have time to search for keys when his brother could be doing God knows what in the bedroom, though he really didn't have any other choice.

What else could he possibly do? He had no one to call for aid, no one who would be willing to help them without any questions asked. Suigetsu, Juugo and Kisame did not know about their relationship and he was sure that Itachi wouldn't want them here, not when they were suffering. Also, they would probably ask too many questions, about why the kitchen was smashed kitchen and so on and he did not feel like explaining.

Speaking of which… despite the crime Gaara had committed, they could not turn him in, something he knew the bastard probably had known. If they were to tell the police what had happened, Gaara would most likely reveal their secret and they would not only be shunned by their former friends but by society in general, the reason why they refrained. Though, if he ever saw that tattooed freak again, he would be the one to give him a makeover.

Narrowing his eyes at the train of thought before subconsciously rubbing the small bump on his head, he pulled the lowest drawer open and lifted the small screw box out to look underneath. It appeared as if at least someone was on his side today because the shimmering keychain lay thrown inside. Quickly grabbing it, he stepped out of the storage room, locked the door and walked inside before ascending upstairs.

Having reached the final step of the staircase, his gaze fell upon the bedroom door as he neared it. A small delusional part of him had hoped to see it open but the more sane part knew that it wouldn't happen any time soon.

Coming to a stop just outside the room, he leaned against the door. "Itachi?" He tried once more to make sure. "Itachi, open the door…"

Noticing the demand being unheeded as seconds passed, he sighed and placed the key by the lock, inserting it while turning his wrist around to get it opened. Pulling the handle, he opened the door and crossed the threshold to gaze around the room. He frowned as it appeared to be empty and walked over to the bed to check for any signs of his brother before the sound of streaming water reached his ear.

He shifted his gaze and noticed the red color of the indicator on the bathroom door and immediately knew that his brother was inside, the sounds and color having announced its occupancy. He decided to give his brother some time to finish and leaned against the bed frame, threading his fingers through his bangs while sighing audibly, emotionally exhausted.

He used to hate the feeling of being irresponsible and treated like a child but now when the roles were reversed and he had to be the one to support his older brother, he regretted ever fussing about it.

The situation they were in was far from simple. Naruto had appeared to have deserted them after spotting them together and the blond either hated them and wanted nothing to do with them again or chose to distance himself for a while. Judging by the silent treatment from Naruto's friend and family, not to mention the ring being delivered and Naruto telling Gaara to get his belongings out of the house, the first assumption seemed more probable than the latter.

He honestly didn't know how to get through the mess they had created. The person he loved and considered his best friend and more was gone and might never return. His older brother was pushing him away and he alone had to make things right, how on Earth should he do it?

Hearing the falling drops of water subdue, he turned his head towards the bathroom door, waiting for the handle to be pulled and red to turn green. Seeing as it happened, he walked the few steps to the door, ready to give his brother a piece of his mind and to make him realize that feeling sorry for himself and moping around wouldn't help anyone.

Turning his narrowed onyx eyes towards equally dark ones, he stared them down before taking a step back, allowing his brother to properly get out of the bathroom. Before he could back away completely however, he was grabbed and slammed against the wall, gasping as a hand lightly squeezed at his throat.

"Ita-" He rasped only to have his mouth covered by the other's, an insistent tongue gliding heatedly against his own, probing deeper to force his own tongue into submission. His eyes were wide as saucers as the unexpected ministrations continued, the suffocating hold holding him firmly in place against the wall.

Probably noticing his lack of participation, Itachi tore his mouth away from his and dragged him over to the bed while his mind still suffered from the light oxygen deprivation, making him fall backwards and onto it. Hands were suddenly tearing and pulling at his clothes, forcing them down and off until soughed out skin was revealed, stroked and gripped by delicate pale hands. Legs were placed between his own, a knee rubbing firmly against his crotch, trying to evoke a reaction and slowly succeeding.

He began to trash beneath his brother, fighting between the traitorous touches and his common sense. They shouldn't be doing this. He didn't want to become his brother's comfort lay and after what had happened with Naruto he wasn't sure whether they should be doing this at all. He couldn't even tell who Itachi was picturing beneath him right now, him or Naruto.

Even so, Itachi's warm and moist mouth kept nipping at his throat, licking and sucking every patch of skin the mouth could latch onto as he rubbed himself against him, creating sweet friction and sending waves of pleasure down their spines.

His hands were in turn pushing at his brother's muscled chest, trying to stop his advances yet failing as pleasure began to overload his senses, slowly forcing those thoughts away. He was already burning with arousal, his body failing him miserably, and Itachi only fueled that lust, touching, kissing and grinding himself against him, making their lengths throb and produce its creamy nectar, which smeared against their slits.

Perspiration soon began to cover their bodies, casting a light sheen over flushed pale skin. The trashing and the desperateness behind the actions made their hearts beat faster, panting mouths slanted over each other, one trying to dominate while the other futilely tried to break free.

As Itachi latched onto his nipple, simultaneously dragging the last piece of clothing off of his body while grinding their naked arousals against each other, he realized where things were going and reared back against the headboard, away from his brother's touch and tempting body. He wouldn't let this happen, he couldn't.

"Itachi… stop!" He shouted with some difficulty as the other raven never ceased his actions, only increasing the passionate and urgent advances. Licking a path down his abdomen, his brother followed the little trail of pubic hair while holding his hips down forcibly to keep him grounded.

"No… Itachi…. ah, don't…" He groaned as his brother's hand slowly encircled his erection, teasingly stroking up and down and back again, trying to make him give in to the luscious, sinful pleasure. Itachi's mouth was hovering just above the glistening head of his length, his breath teasing him for a few seconds before a tongue was flattened against and swirled around it heatedly.

His hands clutched at the sheets, trying to remove himself from his brother's grasp despite the overriding sense of euphoria that clouded his mind. His brother was getting more impatient as he refused to surrender, now taking him deep in the moist depths of his mouth, sucking and humming while hollowing his cheeks. "No… stop… don't-"

The older male only continued and he gripped the long black tresses in retaliation, attempting to pull his brother off of his cock by pulling his hair in a way he knew would be painful. It didn't help at first but soon the mouth withdrew and he weakly exhaled, thinking his brother had noted his unwillingness and ceased the unwanted course of action. When the feeling of something wet and slippery touched his puckered entrance however, his eyes widened further before he was enveloped in heat once more, the finger pushing its way through.

He didn't move a muscle as shock and disbelief rippled his core, his breath caught in his throat. The finger was gliding in and out with some difficulty, not being lubricated enough, causing his walls to clutch the prodding digit tightly and ache as it forced its way inside. As another one was added, the pain rapidly increased and he snapped out of his haze.

"I said stop!" He hissed, raising his upper body to push his brother away with his hands, trying to rear back and lose those fingers. Itachi had anticipated the move however and grabbed him with his other arm, twisting and pushing his body down to face the sheets.

Feeling more frightened and angry than before, he started struggling with everything he had, trying to get Itachi off of him. He couldn't understand why his brother was doing this, he had never ignored his say in the matter before, and the thought scared him immensely. Had his brother gone mad? Had this really broken him?

Not choosing to ponder about that any further, feeling something far bigger than fingers nudge his entrance open, he managed to get his arm free from the forcible hold and elbowed his brother in gut. "Knock it off!"

Having caught Itachi by surprise, probably due to his state of arousal, he kicked him off the bed before crawling out of it. Tears leaked out of the corner of his eyes as a reaction to the pressure he'd been put through, physically and mentally. He couldn't believe he was moments away from getting raped.

Swallowing the painful lump in his throat, he quickly noted that Itachi never arose from his position on the floor, remaining there with his long hair draped across his lowered face. He turned to leave the room as the horrible scenes replayed in his head, making his heart clench and bile to arise, only to freeze in place as his brother spoke.

"I'm sorry… Sasuke…"

…

…

Seating himself by the table he ignored the waitress currently pestering him about his orders, couldn't she see that he was busy? Currently talking on the phone and all? He might have left his office but that did not mean that his work was done and over with it.

The loss against the Hebi No Oto Corporation was minor but a loss nonetheless, thus forcing him to take such measures as working overtime and spending his day on the phone. If he had had a choice, he would rather not be on the phone at all but that was not the case.

Only a couple of minutes after the defeat, Akatsuki Corp. had suffered the consequences of the defeat. People phoned them like maniacs, Hidan wouldn't keep his mouth shut and annoyed the entire floor, Kakuzu kept complaining about the additional paperwork he would have to take care of and the money they had lost, Zetsu called in sick, Deidara kept teasing him to the point of him having an aneurysm and his vice presidents had left early.

The day had not seemed to get any better and now this… waitress… was calling him rude. Did she have any idea who she was talking to? Was she aware of the fact that he could get her unemployed in a matter of seconds? Telling Zetsu to 'lay off the greens', he snapped the phone shut and directed a vicious glare at her before ordering the meal he usually ordered and amusedly watched her high tail out of there.

Slumping back in his chair a little once she vanished out of sight, he sighed, his long bangs obscuring his view momentarily. Being the head of a company was far from easy and highly underestimated, his days were long and he always had to work beyond the hours he was expected to. He hated not being there for her-

Hearing a loud voice pierce his thoughts, he automatically turned his head towards the source only to notice three red haired males and a blond by a table three meters away, slightly hidden from his view by an artificial maple tree.

"If you're going to interrogate him, than you might as well leave!" One of them shouted.

Looking more closely at them by turning his head to the side, he recognized them all.

His vice presidents, Nagato and Yahiko, were dining with their brother and that blond male who had freaked out earlier in the hallway of their office. Kyuubi looked outraged while the other three looked shocked, though Nagato's expression hadn't changed much.

He was slightly surprised to see all of them here at Itamae. He had thought his employees would have gone home for dinner, seeing as they had asked for permission to leave due to a family gathering. Was the blond somehow related to them? Since he dined with them and visited their office?

Now when he looked more closely, he did have a certain resemblance to Kyuubi. Could he be a cousin or a brother perhaps? Or was he just an associate with similar physical features?

Feeling curious and slightly bored, he decided to eavesdrop while waiting for his ordered meal. It couldn't hurt, could it? A part of him also liked to find out why that blond had reacted that badly to his appearance. Was he really that scary or had they met before…?

…

…

As his stomach throbbed from the blow it had received, he stared at the floor beneath him while fighting the emotions that tried to break free; guilt, sorrow, wrath and remorse.

He couldn't believe what he had just tried to do. That he had been minutes away from raping his younger brother, someone he loved, who in turn loved and trusted him. … It was never his intention to go that far, he had wanted to please his brother and not the opposite.

Since he had hit Sasuke for interfering him during his moment of destructive rage, he had desperately needed to make it up to him, thinking that the guilt and pain for striking his brother and for having Naruto out of their lives might fade, that he wouldn't feel so horrible of what he had done by making his brother happy.

And being a man of few words, he showed his love through actions and gestures. Though, in his desperation to please his sibling he had turned more violent instead of showering his brother with gentle caresses like he normally used to. Only because the need to pleasure Sasuke viciously clawed at his insides, making him act irrationally to succeed.

Now when he thought more rationally about it however, the act itself seemed incredibly selfish. Of course his brother would be confused about his sudden ministrations after Naruto had… left them because of those, not to mention that he had locked himself inside his room an entire day while refusing to answer his younger brother's calls.

Judging by the words his brother was shouting at the moment, the advances had frightened and shocked him greatly. Sasuke most likely thought he had gone mad or that he was using him to ease the guilt by taking their relationship for granted, that Sasuke would agree to everything he wanted just because he loved him.

He never wanted his sibling to feel that way, to hear the slightly unsteady voice and to see those teary, terrified charcoal eyes. He had just been so intent on pleasuring him that he had failed to notice his sibling's unwillingness, especially since Sasuke never denied him before and usually played hard to get. The thought of hurting Sasuke in any way, however, left a bitter taste in his mouth and made his stomach churn because of how close he had been of doing so badly.

It seemed like as if every time he tried to set things right nowadays, it always backfired and got worse. He had postponed the moment of telling Naruto about their relationship in wait for the right opportunity but then Naruto had found out it anyhow by spotting them in bed together. Now, only a few minutes ago, he had tried to ease his brother's pain but almost ended up raping him instead. Not to mention that even though he had wanted to stay hopeful when Gaara had visited them, he had raged when the last pieces of Naruto was taken away and consequently took it out on his brother.

When did it all go so horrible wrong? Was this the Gods' way of punishing him for his sins along with Sasuke? To rob them of their sole source of happiness? Was it their late parents who looked down at them with contempt for defiling the family name? Cursing their luck that day by having Naruto come home earlier and find out…?

Shifting his obsidian colored eyes towards his brother's despaired ones, his own instantly mirrored them at the sight. Sasuke was sitting on the edge of the large bed across from him, studying him warily while tears slowly trailed down his cheeks.

"…"

That was it.

He never wanted to see his brother in such a state again; he was done with hurting his brother. Rising from the floor carefully as not to frighten Sasuke any further, he slowly took the few steps towards him, making sure not to lose eye contact.

Seeing as Sasuke barely unnoticeably flinched as he approached him, he calmly stretched his arm out to gently poke at his brother's forehead with his index and middle finger, something he always did when they were younger. Sasuke hated it whenever he did so but his brother knew that the touch was more than just a teasing gesture, it was his way of showing him that cared.

Sasuke instantly started to relax as his fingers retreated, obviously recognizing the action and its meaning, but turned to look at him with the same pained expression.

"… I'm sorry, little brother... Forgive me…" He murmured before gently embracing his younger sibling and lover, letting go of the breath he had been holding when Sasuke slowly wrapped his arms around him as well.

…

…

'_Uzumaki Naruto, huh…' _He thought once the blond's name was mentioned. He couldn't recall having met anyone with that name before and he knew that he would have remembered him if he had, the striking appearance being hard to forget. Perhaps his glare was just scarier than he imagined.

Though, while he hated to admit it, that notion did unnerve him a bit. No one he had met had ever reacted that badly to his anger. Uzumaki had looked scared out of his wits and the glare hadn't even been directed at him.

It was true that he was a feared man within the company and the line of business, but not to the extent that people almost literally would pee their pants whenever they spotted him. Could the blonde perhaps be an employer or employee of one of the companies he had ruined? Toukyou was one of their biggest competitive cities after all…But wouldn't anger be the proper reaction in that case and not fear?

Unnoticeably shaking his head at the train of thought, thinking it was a waste of time, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and gave his thanks for the meal, rising from his seat before paying the check. He had more import matters to attend to and figuring out why a person was scared of him currently wasn't one of them.

Casting one last glance at the Sannins and the Uzumaki, he left the restaurant to attend to his work and finally go home to the one awaiting him.

…

…

"What should we do…?" Sasuke asked once he grabbed the steaming cup of coffee off of the kitchen counter and joined him on the floor.

"We have to tell him the truth… since the others undoubtedly are twisting it additionally." He answered before taking a sip out of his own cup, dimly regarding the vacant spot were the dining table used to stand before it was broken by an ax and thrown out.

"… Do you think he'll forgive us?"

"… That depends on how bad this has affected him…" He slowly turned his head away at the end of the sentence, not wanting his brother to read the emotion that undoubtedly shone through his eyes.

"That means 'no', huh…?"

"… Not necessarily…" He said with some difficulty as pain viciously tore at his heart. "He told Gaara to deliver the ring and to get his things but-"

"He hates us, you mean-" Sasuke dejectedly muttered only to be interrupted.

"No… If Naruto really _told_ Gaara to gather his belongings… then why would he leave the necklace behind?"

"…. He... he never took the necklace?" Sasuke asked in surprise, his mouth slightly agape.

"No… and it isn't like Naruto to forget it where he stored it… it's always been precious to him…"

"Mmm… so… what, you think Gaara lied or something?"

"Not entirely… the handkerchief and ring are legit, but Gaara's definitely hiding something…"

"Like what? He seemed pretty convincing to me…"

"Hn…" He agreed. If it weren't for the necklace then he probably wouldn't have questioned it either, but then again, Gaara had always been a great actor with that impenetrable mask of his. "We'll just have to find out when getting Naruto back…"

"How do you suppose we do that..? They're ignoring us and we've got no idea where Naruto is… besides, what if he doesn't want to talk to us?"

"… That cherry blonde woman… what's her name again?" He asked after a couple of silent seconds, having tried to ignore that painful possibility as well as come up with a plan that might help them.

"Sakura?"

"Hn… she's your friend as well as Naruto's, isn't he?"

"Yeah… but she's with Sai, he would never let her-"

"Sai isn't with her twenty-four-seven, is he? … Approach her during her lunch break and try talking to her… if she notices how sorry you are I'm sure she'd at least tell you something…"

"I don't know… she's not as stupid as she used to be…" Sasuke hesitatingly replied, looking at him questioningly.

"But she's always liked you and that affection's still there even though she claims to have gotten over you a long time ago… She's even dating your look-alike… you should at least give it a try…" He said, knowing the bubble-gummed banshee would be easy to convince, judging by the way she used to act around his little brother. "Naruto's former co-workers might help us as well… I'll try to talk to Ebisu tomorrow since he's never been too fond of Kakashi…"

"And if they won't tell us anything?"

"Then we'll call Shisui and let them handle it…"

…

…

Parting ways, he and Kyuubi said their goodbyes to the younger Sannin brothers before turning the opposite way to walk back toward the parked car by the company building. The sky had darkened considerably since the last time their eyes had rowed across it and the streetlights shone around them to illuminate the way as they strode on the sidewalk.

He was breathing deeply, pulling fresh, cold air inside his lungs to cool the burning warmth within. The evening had turned out quite differently from what he had expected; something that unmistakably contributed to the constant tugging at the corners of his lips.

Nagato and Yahiko were really nice once you got to know them and their opposite yet unique personalities amused him greatly. Nagato was more collected, stoic and protective while Yahiko reminded him of Kyuubi and his old self, loud, obnoxious and stubborn. They had all gotten along pretty well despite the awkward tension in the beginning and at the end of the evening they had even suggested that he could come visit them at the office again.

He was quite pleased that something good had come out of this mess. He had found his brother and hopefully gotten two new friends. His heart was mending though the process was slow, but he knew that he would get there eventually.

Glancing over at his brother, he saw him twirl his red hair around his finger as they walked beside each other on the sidewalk. "Kyuubi…?" He questioned, wondering what his brother was thinking about with such a depressed frown on his face.

"Hmm?" Kyuubi hummed before noticing his curious gaze."Oh, I was just wondering… do you think I should cut my hair?"

"….. Eh?" He breathed, completely floored by the question. His brother was pondering about a haircut now of all times?

"I've been thinking about it for a while now… and Nagato's hair looks sorta' cool… what do you think?"

"… I kinda like your hair…" He responded, honestly having liked the long tresses ever since he spotted them. Not to mention the fact that they fitted his brother perfectly, framing his face and making the maroon eyes appear all the redder, giving him a more dangerous and somewhat wild look.

"You do? Well… perhaps I won't cut it then…" Kyuubi smiled before scowling irritably. "I'll just have to kick Zabuza's ass if he ever calls me girly because of it again…"

"Eh? _You…_ _girly…_?"

"Mmm…exactly my point… the asshole…" His brother grumbled. "He's just jealous because people like me better than him… not to mention that I'm better looking." Red eyebrows wiggled suggestively before laughter escaped chapped lips.

Forcing a broad smile upon his lips, wanting to yet not being able to produce a real one, he opened the door and stepped inside the car as his brother unlocked it. Soon they would be home again and he for one couldn't wait to crawl beneath the bed covers.

…

…

Walking closer to the white house ahead of him, he quickened his pace, his heavy steps making crackling sounds against the graveled ground. The sun had risen a few hours ago and the sky was a lovely orange in the distance, the icy blue color remaining directly above him.

He couldn't wait until he would see him. Oh, the look on the other person's face would be priceless. After all, he wouldn't have expected him to show up here at this hour, and certainly not in this manner.

Smirking to himself once he reached the house, he stepped up to one of the bigger windows in the back of the building, glancing inside to see if his prey was near, wanting to know which course of action to take. Spotting a body on the red couch through the darkness of the room, his smirk broadened further and he pulled a pocketknife out of his jacket, working the lock open cautiously.

Managing to get the window open relatively quickly and soundlessly, he carefully sneaked inside, pushing his athletic body through the open space without making much noise. He kept his eyes on his target at all times, not wanting the man to awaken. Indeed, it would be easier if he remained asleep, unaware of his presence and the danger he was in.

Soundlessly stepping over to him before encircling the couch, he stretched one of his arms out to cover the man's mouth efficiently with one hand while holding him down with the other. "Who's the man now, bitch!" He hissed through gritted teeth, irritation and amusement evident in his voice, pleased to see the reaction of the one beneath him. His friend was struggling violently, trying to shout through the mouth he held shut.

Biting his lip with his sharpened teeth to stifle the laugh that threatened to escape, he froze in place once the lights turned on and he heard a voice venomously growl behind him. "What the fuck are you doing to my baby brother!"

'_Baby… brother?' _He thought with astonishment, instantly recognizing the voice of the one behind him, probably meaning he was in deep trouble. Shit. Jumping off of the couch and letting go of the body as if burned, he turned around to face a fuming redhead in a bathrobe. "I… Kyuubi… I…"

"What are you doing here, Zabuza? Are you out of your freaking mind? Look what you've done to my brother, you ass!"

"…" Shifting his gaze back to the couch again, he noticed a blond male trying to hide his tear streaked face while crouching on the floor, inhaling audibly. Feeling guilt blossom within him at the sight, he bit his lip to stop himself from retorting.

"You can't just break into my house and attack people randomly! You're taking this too far!" Kyuubi hissed while stroking his brother's back, trying to calm the shaken blond.

"Says the one who kidnapped Haku…" He grumbled defensively while crossing his arms over his chest, remembering the stunt his friend had pulled a few weeks ago. "So don't blame me for getting even…" He never expected Kyuubi to have guests, if he had known then he wouldn't have attempted something like this today.

"That's beside the point! Not to mention that Haku was on the whole thing…" Kyuubi continued, still glaring fiercely. "I believe you owe my brother an apology…"

He sighed a bit annoyed while glancing at the blond man warily, seeing as he had calmed down a notch. "… I'm sorry, err…"

"Uzumaki Naruto." Kyuubi provided while ruffling his brother's hair lightly, letting go with a smile that caused the blond to pout and grip his hair as if embarrassed.

"Uzumaki… I didn't mean to scare you like that, I just… I didn't know Kyuubi had guests, so I presumed you were him..." He muttered, not used to apologizing.

Seeing as the blond stopped pouting and began looking puzzled while tilting his head to the side, Kyuubi decided to explain. "We do this all the time Naruto, it's alright... I'm sorry you got caught in the middle of it…"

The blond just looked more confused than ever at that, clearly not understanding.

"It's because they feel like they have to prove their masculinity…" Someone sighed from the doorway behind him, a voice he instantly recognized as his Haku. "Good morning… I'm Asano* Haku, Zabuza's boyfriend."

0-0-0-0

'_Boyfriend?' _He thought surprised, shifting his gaze between the two before inspecting the newcomer more closely. _'That's a guy? Man, he's even prettier than Sakura… and he's dating that… man?'_

'… _Kyuubi's friend just broke in to our house and attacked me thinking I was Kyuubi in order to prove his "manliness"?'_

'_Did he just call me a bitch?'_

'_Kyuubi kidnaps people..?'_

'_They do this all the time?' _

'_Kyuubi's friends are openly gay and he's okay with it…?'_

'_What in the world…?'_

He suddenly felt a serious headache coming and had to grab his forehead in an attempt to prevent it from bursting as multiple questions popped up. Just what had he gotten himself into? He was surrounded by lunatics… Who in their right mind would do this?

"It's a lot to process, I know." The feminine man smiled, having seated himself on the floor chair across from him beside his boyfriend. "All of this only because they refuse to apologize for calling each other 'girly'…"

"Well, he looks like a chick with that long hair…" Zabuza muttered while rolling his eyes.

"Look who's talking, you're dating a man, aren't you?"

"What's that got to do with it?" The tall brunet growled, narrowing his eyes Kyuubi.

"One usually takes the female role, doesn't he?"

"What are you implying…?"

"…You know perfectly well what I'm implying…" Kyuubi smugly replied.

"Why you… If anyone's a girl in here, it's you, you scrawny ass."

"What did you just call me?" Kyuubi growled.

"Scrawny. In case you haven't noticed, I've got more muscles than you!"

"No, you don't." His brother huffed, glaring at his friend which made the other stand.

"Yes, I do! Look at these… Your six-pack isn't as pronounced as mine."

"What the hell are you talking about? Mine are way bigger!" Kyuubi pulled his bathrobe open, luckily wearing a pair of boxers and not emotionally scarring him.

"No, they're not!"

"Yes, they are!"

"No, they're not! Why do you think I make more money than you do, huh..? It's obviously because people prefer my hot body over yours!"

"Hot body? Have you looked yourself in the mirror lately, you big fat fatty? The only reason you get paid more is because you've worked there longer!" Kyuubi sneered.

"You… shut up!"

As they started fighting, insulting each other while wrestling, Haku turned his gaze to him while shaking his head disapprovingly. "Don't worry about it, you'll get used to this in no time. Give them a couple of minutes and they'll calm down."

"…" '_Are those two truly over 30? Seriously, what the hell…?'_

"You're Kyuubi's little brother, huh? I didn't know he had a blond one…"

"Hmm…? Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, I just moved here from Toukyou." He responded a little dazed, having been busy staring at the immature display.

"It's nice to meet you, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Likewise..."

"Who's the bitch now, you fruitcake!" He heard Kyuubi yell as he pinned Zabuza to the floor before said person flipped him over. "You… are, you fugly vixen." The larger male panted and proceeded to wrestle with his brother, both of them insulting each other again.

"Did you know that it's actually because they're insecure? …Well, aside from the fact that they're stupid…" Haku quietly spoke, making him look away from the disturbing yet strangely amusing sight once more.

"…?" Shaking his head, he waited for an elaboration while internally chuckling at the truth in that statement, seeing as the two males continued their fight in another room.

"You see, Kyuubi's really fond of his hair as you might have noticed and even though he contemplates about cutting it, he never will since he loves it too much. Hearing his best friend call him 'girly' because of it depresses him since he likes to see himself as someone very masculine, which most likely is a consequence of his ex-girlfriend leaving him for someone more built." The long haired brunette explained with a sad smile. "And Zabuza's afraid that people will think lesser of him just because he's with me and open about it. That they'll suddenly think he's the society's stereotype of a homosexual, someone very feminine and immature."

"….. But that's… he's not-"

"I know..." Haku waggled his eyebrows briefly before laughing, turning more serious as he continued. "And that's why it bothers him to hear his best friend call him 'girly' or 'bitch' because he thinks he's judging him by calling him that, even if it just might seem like a playful banter."

"But Kyuubi wouldn't-"

"No, he wouldn't, but Zabuza's become so paranoid ever since he told him about us. He doesn't want his friendship with Kyuubi to end, even though it may appear as if he hates him."

"Have they tried talking to each other about it?"

Haku raised an eyebrow, answering his question in the process.

"…They're both… incredibly stupid..."

"Tell me about it…" Haku laughed. "Just don't tell them I said that, ok? Or they'll be fighting the entire day…"

"I promise." He smiled, already growing fond of the long haired brunet. He hadn't met anyone this outgoing and straightforward in a long time, especially someone who openly demonstrated their love for another person while ignoring the thoughts and opinions of others.

"So how come you're sleeping on the couch? Kyuubi has a guest room, hasn't he?"

"Err… there was a spider-" He began while blushing, embarrassingly scratching the back of his neck. He wasn't afraid of spiders but he just hated the notion of having something that small and hairy crawl on his skin at night so he had abandoned the bed with thoughts of cleaning it thoroughly in the morning.

"Oh, I see…" Haku knowingly responded and nodded to himself, sounding as if the curt explanation had explained it all.

"So… what have you two been talking about?" Zabuza suddenly grunted from the other side of the room, just having entered it with Kyuubi following closely behind carrying a water bottle.

"Oh, nothing special… just how you two behave like 3 instead of 30…" Haku teased, rising from the floor to give his boyfriend a kiss on the cheek.

"Tch…" Zabuza scoffed before wrapping his arms around the long haired brunet possessively, gently nuzzling Haku's neck.

Struggling to prevent the pain from showing on his face at the affectionate display, he turned his head toward the window on his left while trying to suppress the memory the embrace had evoked, played out by two different individuals.

Feeling Kyuubi gently grip his arm and shatter the illusion of pale skin on his, he slowly glanced at his brother enquiringly. "You're not… disturbed by this are you?" Kyuubi whispered, a little hesitantly, subtly indicating whether he was disturbed by Zabuza's and Haku's relationship.

"No." He answered, meeting his brother's gaze more steadily, hoping that his voice would reflect the despair in his eyes. "Should I be?"

Smiling toothily, Kyuubi lightly shook his head in negation before turning to face his friends. "Since you're here and all; wanna come with us to the city today? I was thinking about showing Naruto around a bit since he hasn't seen that much yet."

Seeing as Kyuubi's smile faltered at the end of the sentence, he looked over at his brother reassuringly. He knew that his sibling felt guilty for having him stay indoors for the last couple of days while he was working, but he hadn't really minded it and he did not blame him in the slightest. Kyuubi had to pay rent and mortgages while providing for them both and yet he still tried his hardest to make his stay as pleasant as possible.

His brother truly was amazing.

"Sure, why not?" Haku replied. "We're not doing anything special anyway… what did you have in mind?"

"Hmm… well, I was thinking we could go sightseeing for starters and then maybe buy some things and such before visiting the Tokachigawa Hot Spring?" Kyuubi suggested, before turning to look at him. "I bet we could need some relaxation right now, right Naruto?" His brother jokingly added.

"Mmm…" He hummed, agreeing. He knew his brother was referring to the stressed out state they were in, Kyuubi from working nonstop and he himself from dealing with heartbreak. A hot spring sounded awfully nice, especially now when the weather had turned colder. He could almost feel his body aching to be surrounded by the heated water. Indeed, it had been far too long since he had last visited one.

"As long as we don't visit any museums, I'm in." Zabuza said before turning to walk out the door, pushing Haku ahead of him. Just before walking outside, he turned to them and ordered, "Get dressed. We'll leave in an hour," slamming the door shut.

"…"

"… Are you sure you're ok with this, Naruto? I mean, not everyone… um, Haku and Zabuza might probably cause a lot of… you know, since they're-"

"… My parents are gay." He stated and left it at that, knowing his brother finally would stop worrying.

"Oh…" Kyuubi said, blinking a little more than usual before snapping out of his stupor and smiling mischievously. "So then you wouldn't mind seeing them all over each other at the hot spring?"

"…"

"…"

"Kyuubi?"

"Hmm?"

"You're too weird." He stated before snorting with laugher, causing his brother to laugh as well.

…

…

Closing the laptop firmly, she sighed and stretched her arm out to grab the cup of coffee on her desk which undoubtedly had gotten cold by now. Putting it back on her desk once she confirmed her assumptions, she shifted her gaze toward the clock on the wall and felt relieved once she noticed that the time had turned twelve-fifteen.

Rising from her desk a little too enthusiastically, she changed into her outerwear and left the building, walking toward the café across the street. She felt like getting something small today since she wasn't very hungry at the moment, maybe a small salad or a sandwich.

Crossing the street her gaze slowly narrowed as she spotted someone whom she never wished to have spotted, her asshole of a friend, Uchiha Sasuke.

'_What the hell is he doing here?' _Her inner self shouted, practically seething at the sight of the raven.

Deciding to ignore him and see whether he would follow or not, perhaps having crossed her path coincidentally, she entered the café and immediately chose a secluded seat a bit farther inside. Noting that he indeed had followed her, she kept her face blank while internally raging, not having hoped to see him so soon after what had happened.

"Sakura." Sasuke greeted in his usual bored tone once having reached her, gesturing towards the empty seat in front of her. "Do you mind?"

She shook her head, not trusting her voice at the moment. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to visit her and act so casually, as if he just hadn't hurt their friend and made him leave. She pulled her lips into a tight line and asked. "What are you doing here, Sasuke?"

Sasuke sighed while sitting down, staring at the table with his bangs around his face, hiding those onyx eyes she knew to be emotionless. After a couple of seconds, those dark eyes met her own and the pleading emotion within them made her gasp in slight surprise. He looked so vulnerable and remorseful, an expression she had never seen on his face before.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I just- I don't know what to do." He explained with an unsteady voice, his dark eyebrows furrowing. "I never meant to hurt him, I swear."

"But you did!" She quietly hissed, not wanting others to hear. "He's your brother, what were you thinking? And Naruto…!"

"I know!" He answered in the same hushed tone. "I can't help it okay? I've always loved Itachi, and I don't know when the feelings _changed_ but it was never intentional."

"It doesn't matter, Sasuke. It's… it's wrong… and Naruto loved him! Don't you understand what you've done! Naruto's-"

"Naruto's what…?" Sasuke asked, his attention fully on her, as if anticipating whatever it was that she was going to say.

"That's none of your business anymore…" She slowly replied. "But thanks to you, everyone else is suffering too." She chose to leave it at that and rose from her seat. She would skip lunch today since her appetite had disappeared altogether.

"Wait." Sasuke pleaded, gripping her arm to prevent her from leaving. "Please. I just want to apologize, I don't care if he never wants to see me again after that, but please just let me try….. He's my best friend and even though I haven't treated him like one I still care about him, please Sakura…?"

She closed her eyes with a sigh. Even though the raven had hurt their mutual friend badly, he was still her friend and no matter how angry she was with him she could never treat him indifferently or cruelly. To be honest, seeing him like this was almost more than she could handle, he truly looked to pitiful.

If he was sincere and truly wanted to apologize than perhaps she should let him in on some information. What difference would it make really? To let him know that Naruto had left Toukyou? Of course, she would not tell him about Hokkaidou since she wasn't that ignorant and never would betray the trust her other friend had in her. If the Uchihas truly wanted Naruto's forgiveness and loved him as much as they claimed then they should even be willing to go through hell just to find him.

Observing him quietly, she walked back to her seat and sat down on the edge of it to show her friend that she intended to leave soon.

"Naruto's not here anymore." She said after some seconds of silent deliberation.

"… What do you mean?" Her friend asked with a narrowed gaze, clearly not understanding.

"He's left Toukyou."

"What…?"

"We don't know where he is either, he wouldn't tell us."

"What are you….You're lying..." Sasuke accused with that famous glare of his.

"I'm not, and even if I did, it would be more than you deserve." She finished and left the café without as much as another glance. Feeling worry envelope her, she closed her eyes and hoped that Naruto would forgive her.

0-0-0-0

Seeing the cherry blonde woman leave, he grabbed his phone and pressed speed dial, his brother being the first on the list of his contacts.

"Hey, it's me." He said once his brother answered.

"And..?" Itachi inquired through the receiver with an emotionally calm tone.

"Naruto's left Toukyou."

"…"

"Sakura told me and I don't think she was lying… That would definitely explain why they're so angry and why Naruto forgot the necklace. He must have sent the ring and told them to get his stuff but not specifically." He continued, seeing as his brother chose to stay silent.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know and neither do they, apparently he hasn't told them."

"You believe that?"

"No, I doubt Naruto would do that, but then again, she did tell me that they were suffering. I don't know, perhaps she just refused to tell me, knowing we would find him. Did Ebisu tell you anything?"

"Just that Kakashi had been more upset and worried than usual the last couple of days, but that he suddenly went back to normal recently."

"Naruto obviously contacted him then."

"Mmm… it would appear so." His brother stated.

"What do we do now?"

"… I'll call Shisui…" And the line went dead.

…

€$¥£ **Information** €$¥£

_Asano* = Haku's voice actor (seiyuu) is called Asano Mayumi. Haku wasn't given a surname/family name in the manga/anime so I thought this was as close as I could get._

…

**^:_:^ =^_^= **

**Hmm, I don't know if this counts as a cliffhanger or not… but I'm pretty sure you don't like the ending either way. Thank you for reading nevertheless! I hope you still like this story despite its late chapters, I'm really sorry about that.**

**Now onto the review responses, if you haven't reviewed then feel free to skip this enormous part and drop one if you want. If not, then I'll see you next time! (^.^)/**

…

**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**Anonymous:** I don't really know how to respond to that :), I guess some of your questions were answered in this chapter, and I'm quite certain that the others will be answered in time. I can't spoil anything because that might ruin the excitement of finding out later. You have an interesting theory though. :P

**KitsuneNaru:** Oh, believe me, I will. XD Thanks for reviewing!

**kasai chii:** I'm really happy you like it that much, I'm sorry for taking so long once again, but I've got a busy life. Hopefully it didn't ruin the chapter itself, thank you for reviewing!

**FoxxyWeasel:** Sorry for taking so long, but updates will take some time, hopefully it doesn't make you like the story or its chapters any less. Thank you for reviewing!

**StreetRacerSakura:** Hehe, thank you for reviewing! Yeah, Naruto's a cutie and the Uchihas are bastards.

**dashlee:** Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story that much and I hope this chapter answered your question. :) I'm sorry about the long wait, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter nonetheless.

**blueberry:** I'm happy to hear that my updates make you happy, although they aren't as frequent. I hope you liked this chapter and that your questions will be answered in time, I can't spoil anything because it would ruin the excitement of finding out later. Thank you so much for reviewing!

**Arbitrary Doom:** I'm glad you like it, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Thank you for the review!

**NicciDoll:** Well, what can I say; cliffhangers are authors and authoresses' best friends but readers' worst enemies. I'm glad you enjoy the story nonetheless and I hope you liked this chapter as well despite its lateness. Thank you for the review!

**littlesnowfarie2005:** I'm glad you like it and I have to agree, Pein is very cool, that is Yahiko and Nagato combined. I hope you liked this chapter, thanks for reviewing!

**IrisUzumaki:** Hehe, well, I hope this chapter answered your question about who was watching Naruto, and I agree Tobi and Deidara can be pretty weird in some fics, though in a good way of course. :) Thank you so much for reviewing!

**ooxshinobixoo:** Thank you for reviewing! I'm sorry about the cliffy but they can come in handy at times, but some good news is that you guessed it right; Tobi was the one watching Naruto. I hope you liked the chapter despite its lateness and possible cliffy.

**Rebel-Angel6:** I have to agree on the comment about the Uchihas :), but hopefully you only hate this universe's Uchihas and not the others'. Yeah, I feel sorry for Naruto as well, and yet I am torturing him so... oh, I'm too evil. :P Thank you for reviewing!

**JtheChosen1:** Thank you for the sweet words! I'm happy you liked the previous chapter, hopefully you liked this one as well considering Sasuke and Itachi were in it. But who know, you might think otherwise. :)

**Linde:** Hehe, thank you for the encouraging review! I hope this chapter answered some of your questions and pleased you a bit considering Itachi and Sasuke were in it despite its lateness. Yeah, I love Kyuubi too; he's the perfect brother really. :)

**-siarafaerie-101-miss**: I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, and possibly more sorry about this one. As usual I can't tell you about the pairings, but I'll keep your suggestion in mind. Thank you for reviewing, I hope you liked this chapter despite its lateness.

**Sakurafeather:** I've answered you already ;), but I just wanted to thank you once again.

**Vampire Kissing:** Thank you for the review and the suggestion, I'll keep that in mind as I'll continue. Love your name by the way; it creates a very hot mental image, especially if they're guys. :)

**darkfoxy28:** Hello to you too, thank you for the cookies and chocolates, they were delicious. Although, I have to admit, I didn't deserve them since this update took so long, but thank you for the wonderful review! I hope you liked the new chapter.

**mihel asyki akatsuki schizo:** Wow, that's a long name. :) I'm glad you like the story, thanks for reviewing!

**xxxXXXSMILEXXXxxx:** Hehe, yeah, I see what you mean, the Tobi in the anime and manga is everything but scary, although you never know what hides behind the mask. :) Thank you for reviewing, I hope you liked this chapter as well despite its lateness.

**Naruto Uchiwa:** Thank you for the sweet words! As a 'hater' of ItaSasu, you really must have disliked this chapter; sorry about that but it was vital for the plot. I'm actually not a fan of ItaSasu either, but the plot bunnies are evil beings. :) I'm really happy to hear that you think this story is well written and that the characters aren't too OOC, I do try. ;)

**yosu:** Hehe, your review could be interpreted in two ways, but I guess you meant to tell me that the story is too good. Thank you either way, I'm glad you like it.

**AmoraPyra:** Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm glad you like Gaara, a lot of people do, including me. He is one crazy little raccoon after all. :) I hope you liked this chapter as well!

…

**Arigatou gozaimashita, minna-san!**

**Take care. ****Hugs =^_^=**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** O'hisashiburi desu.

I'm really sorry about the extremely belated chapter. However, it's finally finished and much longer than my other chapters.

I'd like to thank all of my fantastic readers out there (yeah, you!), whose encouragements have gotten me determined enough to finish this story despite my busy life. Therefore, I've dedicated this chapter to all of you. I hope you enjoy it and that you don't hate me too much for the long wait. (^_^)

Douzo!

_Unbeta-ed._

**Warnings:** **Language (cursing), slight OOC, incest, angst, NOT a song in the chapter, etc. **

…

"Speaking"

'_Thinking' / Lyrics_

…

… _(Double lines) = change of scenery/new scene._

_o-o-o-o (One small o-line) = after a short amount of time __**or**__ change of point of view._

…

…

…

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 8_

'_Don't you care for me anymore?'_

Closing his eyes with a shuddering breath, he turned his head against the window to hide the visible sorrow within his eyes, not wanting anyone to see how bad the words were affecting him.

His heart was wrenching in its depths, painfully aware of the melancholic melody and its emotion-filled lyrics. The words felt as if they were written for him, about him and the pain he had been through, mirroring his feelings and thoughts, describing what his mouth failed to utter.

'_I can't see you anymore…'_

It was strange how much comfort and anguish a song could provide. Written and recorded to be remembered and cherished, identifiable and comforting. To make others know that they weren't alone with their heartbreak, anger, happiness or depression, that others experienced it too.

Yet, at this moment, it didn't feel uplifting… It just hurt…

'_Torn apart, I embrace the pain within the flames…'_

Knowing other people experienced the same cruel heartache that he currently felt almost made things worse. No one deserved to feel this way, especially not after trusting another person with their heart, thinking it would be treasured only to have it cruelly torn apart.

'_My played heart can't be saved…'_

Why wasn't it enough? Weren't you enough…?

Why should anyone doubt themselves thinking it was their fault it all went wrong when another should take the blame? Crying over someone not worthy of their tears, wallowing in misery while the other party barely gave it a thought, having their life turned upside down because they fell in love with a person who obviously did not care or feel the same way.

'_I still love you…'_

Love… It was such a funny thing.

Warm and beautiful when it was shared and answered, healing and comforting when tragedies struck down, but so viciously cruel and painful when it was unrequited and manipulated by wrong hands.

It withered with time, faded throughout the years, but it never truly went away. The memories and the feelings associated with them would linger, deeply engraved in your heart. Of the moments you felt cherished and thought you were important to another, when you would smile because you finally belonged somewhere with someone.

Itachi…

Sasuke…

'_Because of your cruelty, I suffer…'_

0-0-0-0

The silence that spread through the car when the song began despite the loud volume was deafening, unintentionally destroying the content mood as its music filled the vehicle and replaced its laughter with quiet sighs.

The song was beautiful but it was somewhat painful to listen to. The performer sounded sad and sincere as if he was singing about something that had happened to him or to those he loved. The voice wasn't one the prettiest or most breathtaking ones he had heard but the way it carried the lyrics' underlying emotion was impressing.

Unfortunately it drew forth forgotten memories of the kind that caused him pain and he glanced around himself briefly for a distraction. His gaze immediately sought out his brother's but Naruto's face was turned away from him, blond hair falling across cheeks that appeared a little flushed as he leaned against the window.

It was unmistakable that his sibling was affected by the words too, which wasn't surprising considering what he had been through and experienced daily. Turning to glance at Haku behind him through the rear-view mirror and at Zabuza to his left by the driving wheel, he decided to switch channels and erase those solemn expressions.

Feeling all gazes upon him, he ignored them in search for a more cheerful tune and kept pressing the button on the head unit. This was supposed to be a relaxing and fun experience for them all and he'd be damned if one sad song would ruin it. Letting his fingers retreat at the first bright tune he came by, he instantly regretted his choice when he listened more carefully.

"… I never took you for a cat lover…." Haku stated after a moment of stunned silence, lifting a single eyebrow at the playing track. "But then again, the birthmarks do make you look like one…"

Ignoring the long haired brunet, he felt his face heat up when Zabuza had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly causing a car to honk behind them. Damn it, it wasn't his fault that the only cheerful song he could find had meowing kittens in it…

"I kinda like it though…" Haku continued and danced slightly to prove his point, making Naruto giggle softly and Zabuza unable to hold in his laughter.

His face most likely resembled his hair in color as his company continued laughing, though despite the humiliation he felt slightly relieved at seeing them in a better mood once more. It was probably worth the teasing he would suffer weeks from now on, especially when his little brother smiled and laughed in a sincere and heartwarming way. He just hoped that Zabuza wouldn't be too hard on him… Though, he wouldn't be surprised if someone suddenly showed up in a cat costume at work one day and started humping him….

…

…

Closing the laptop with a sigh, he rose from his chair and reached into his dark jacket on the hanger by the door, grabbing the packet of cigarettes before exiting the room. He was in a desperate need for a smoke and he had to clear his mind, the office being too noisy and stuffy.

The day had been incredibly tiring and unsuccessful. Their eyewitness for the Kaito-case had disappeared and was nowhere to be found, nothing indicating whether she had been taken forcibly or if she had left of her own free will. His boss had put him in charge of the investigation and unless he found her in three days, a serial killer would go free and most likely increase the number of victims.

Lighting the cigarette with a trembling hand, he took a few quick draughts before gently exhaling, feeling the anger and anxiety slowly vanish, bit by bit along with the fume.

It would be alright. He just had to focus and believe that it could be done. They would find Yotsuki Karui and she would make sure that the son of a bitch got what he deserved. There had to be something he hadn't thought of, something that they must have overseen.

Feeling his pocket vibrate he pulled his cell phone out with a sigh, thinking his break was over, and answered. "Yes?"

"Shisui?"

"Yes, who is this?" He asked with a frown, not recognizing the voice as irritation momentarily blocked his mind.

"It's me, Itachi…"

"Itachi… are you alright, has something happened…?" He asked and felt his frown dissipating. His cousin rarely called him at work unless it was urgent and judging by Itachi's voice, something had definitely happened.

"… I need your help." Itachi answered after a moment of apparent hesitation.

"With what…? Has something happened? Is it Sasuke?"

"…"

"You know you can trust me, Itachi… what's happened?" He reassuringly added; his work and its troubles forgotten.

"… I want you to help me find someone." Itachi once more hesitatingly answered.

"What? Why?"

"… Naruto's missing…"

"What…?" He slowly repeated, surprised. His cousin's fiancée was missing?

"We had a fight and he left. No one has seen him since then." His cousin calmly spoke through the receiver, his tone on the verge of being emotionless.

"And when was that?"

"8 days ago…"

"Eight? And you're calling me _now_?" He asked incredulously.

"We thought he would come back or that he was hiding at his parents' house, so we didn't want the police to get involved."

"… Alright, do you want me to report him missing or have you already?" He said while putting the cigarette out on the ground.

"No, I want you to find him."

"Yes, but in order to do that I have to-"

"No, I merely want _you_ to find him and then _I_ will bring him back home." Itachi interrupted, attempting to clarify what he demanded.

"What do you mean?" He asked confused.

"There's no need to file a report because technically he isn't missing. I just want you to find out where he is and then I will deal with the rest."

"… Itachi, it doesn't work that way… " He sighed once he understood his cousin's intentions and glanced around himself briefly to make sure that no one was listening. "I'm not a P.I. anymore…"

"Can't you make an exception?"

"Itachi…" He drawled. "I won't risk losing my job just to find your runaway boyfriend."

"You owe me, Shisui... or have you forgotten?"

"…. That was different and you know it." He said as his eyes narrowed, quickly getting irate at his cousin and his persistence.

"Oh? Really…?"

"You _know_ what that son of a bitch did to her, so don't you dare judge me…" He hissed. Just because Itachi offered him money to help his sister escape an abusive relationship with a co-worker didn't mean he would break the law to find his cousin's fiancée.

"But that gives you the right you judge me?" Itachi darkly countered. "I love him, Shisui. _More_ than you'll _ever_ understand so don't make this sound like _nothing_."

"… If you truly love him as much as you claim then have you ever stopped to consider that there might be a reason why he left? That he might not want to be found..?"

"That's none of your business."

"If you want my help then it sure as hell is." He snapped back, feeling his anger grow. God, his cousin could be such a spoiled and annoyingly evasive brat. "I'll not risk making someone's life a living hell only because you demand it of me."

"All you need to know is that Naruto is confused. He has simply misinterpreted my actions and I wish to confront him about it and explain." Itachi said in an eerily calm tone once again. "I know that he has left Toukyou but he cannot have gone much further considering he left his passport at home. If you trace his cell phone or credit card, you should be able to find a location."

"…. Do you have any idea how long that'll take?" He sighed as his cousin obviously wouldn't yield. "I'm on important case right now and I've got a lot of other cases to solve, I don't have time for this…"

"… Shisui… please…" Itachi softly sighed through the receiver, probably rubbing the sides of his forehead or something close to it.

"…Fine … I'll see what I can do but I can't promise you anything." He said, reluctantly agreeing once he heard the plea. Itachi never begged so he knew this meant a lot to him, his cousin truly loved that blond. "Call me on Wednesday and we'll talk some more, I have to get back to work..."

Despite the fact that his cousin could be extremely infuriating, he could never hate him or deny him his aid. He and Itachi had been friends since they were little and he had always treated the stoic raven like a younger brother. His cousin was also one of the few relatives he had left and he didn't want to lose him. Tracking Naruto down on his cousin's terms however would be difficult and take some time, especially since it wasn't prioritized or done the usual way.

"Thank you…" Itachi murmured.

Mumbling a response, he heard his relative hang up and he put the phone back in his pocket and turned back inside. Sometimes he couldn't help but thinking that joining the police force might have been a mistake…

…

…

Arriving at the hotel Kyuubi's client had recommended, both he and his brother stepped out of the Hummer and slowly started walking toward it while Haku lingered and waited for Zabuza to lock the car.

Soon, they all began to approach the grand building ahead of them. Its tiled roof, deep eaves and shiny shadowed windows blended among the snow covered trees, bushes and lush firs of its courtyard, towering several stories above them. The white surroundings were incredibly beautiful, like something brought out of a dream, so very peaceful and inviting. The air was clear and it wasn't too cold, being outside felt pleasant and refreshing and he felt an urge to touch the powdery substance around him as they slowly neared the entrance.

He had always loved snow and spent many days outside during winter when he was younger. Annually, he and his friends would have a get-together where they would hit the city's ramps and go snowboarding, competing against each other before ending their evening with snowball fights and a drink down some bar. Though, the older they got the fewer they became and nowadays only he and Kiba kept to the tradition.

It saddened him to have to let his friend down this year, especially since they both had been looking forward to it immensely. He figured he would at least have to give Kiba a call, to apologize and hopefully get some heads up about his family and mutual friends.

He missed them a lot…

Stepping inside after the three men somewhat dejectedly, a woman clad in a colorful kimono greeted them behind the receptionist desk and asked them if they had made any reservations beforehand. Once Kyuubi said they hadn't, she immediately began to inform them about their options.

The rooms at the hotel were either designed traditionally with tatami mats, shouji screens, floor chairs and futons or slightly more modern with Western beds, tables and wooden floors. Apparently, it was also very common to share rooms. Many people thought it was cheaper that way and since the rooms were large enough to fit more than one person, people could keep each other company.

"Washitsu* are currently more popular among tourists while locals usually rent the youshitsu*. Neither the prize nor our offers differ between the two so you are free to take your pick."

"Which one do you recommend…?" Kyuubi asked with a smile and gently tapped his fingers against the countertop.

"Well, I've always found the traditional interior more relaxing and elegant… but some people find Western furniture more comfortable…" The dark haired woman mused before smiling apologetically. "I guess I'm not really helping, am I?"

Still smiling, Kyuubi shook his head politely and turned to him. "Which one should we take little brother?"

"…You're asking me?" He responded in surprise, not having expected the question to be directed at him. Surely it couldn't be up to him to make such a decision.

"No, I'm asking the lamp next to you… of course I'm asking you, foolish little brother." Kyuubi grinned and his dark eyes shone with mirth, unknowingly causing thoughts to wonder at the endearing comment. "I thought since we might end up sharing a room, I'd let you decide... I don't care either way."

"… But…"

"I'd rather not share a room with the two of them since they'll most likely keep me up all night for obvious reasons…" Kyuubi teased and grinned when Zabuza slowly narrowed his gaze. "But if you want your own room then that's fine by me as well."

"Um… it's okay, I don't mind sharing… um… how about the washitsu…?" He hesitantly replied, unsure about his answer. He disliked making decisions on Kyuubi's expense. It made him feel like a huge liability because his brother kept wasting money and effort on him, something he didn't consider himself worthy of. Not to mention that Zabuza and Haku were contemplating about the Western design, what if Kyuubi wanted it too?

His fears were smothered however when Kyuubi just smiled and turned to face the female receptionist. "So, a washitsu and a youshitsu then… preferably facing the Tokachi River…"

"Ok… let's see… room 23 and… 160 both have windows on the riverside and they've also got a balcony and a bigger bathroom… will those be alright?" The woman questioned and registered their reservations as Kyuubi and Zabuza nodded and handed her their credit cards.

"Do you wish to have your breakfast brought to your rooms in the morning?"

"Ah, yes, that would be great. Not too early though…"

Laughing slightly, the woman continued. "You may notify us when you want it brought inside."

"And the hot springs..?" Zabuza added with a frown, staring down at the lithe receptionist.

"Oh of course, forgive me…" She apologized with a slight bow, causing her long ponytail to slip over her shoulder, handing them a brochure along with their keys. "We've got several indoor hot springs on the first floor and one on the second floor, most of them are public but the one with a large outdoor view is for private use and has to be booked along with one of our offers. It includes spa-treatment, massage and a light dinner among other things…"

"I see... Is that hot spring available for the evening?" The brown haired man continued, quickly skimming through the brochure. "And how much will that be additionally?"

Feeling Haku grab his arm gently, he was pulled away from the older men and dragged to a couch a bit further away from the reception. Hesitantly sitting down beside the long haired brunet, he shifted his gaze from his now frowning brother to the man beside him.

"Let them handle it…" Haku sighed while glancing in their direction. "I think we might be more distracting than helpful…"

"…" So Haku had picked up on that too?

"You alright…?" Haku asked with a slightly worried expression, probably having seen him frowning. "… I know this must be pretty awkward for you… considering you don't really know us and all but… we're actually not as crazy as we seem."

"I don't mind at all to be honest and I don't think you're crazy…. I've met much worse, believe me…" He said smiling, shuddering once he pictured one of his dad's friends with a bowl cut and green jumpsuit. "Kyuubi's lucky to have you as his friends."

"Ah, I don't know about that, perhaps his life would be less exasperating… besides, you're our friend now too, Uzumaki Na-ru-to."

Feeling his face heat up slightly at the way the brunet said his name, he mumbled a 'thank you', which in turn made the man beside him chuckle.

"You're too cute for your own good…" Haku continued teasingly.

"Oi, are you guys coming or what?" Zabuza interrupted while approaching them along with Kyuubi, both of them wearing equally amused grins.

"So… what are our plans for the evening then?" Haku asked and rose to his feet, ignoring their subtle teasing.

"Apparently they're celebrating harvest season this week, so there'll be a lot of stands and local performances around the area. We thought we might check 'em out."

"What about the hot spring…?"

"We decided to reserve the one with the view along with the spa-treatment and all that crap… thought you might like it…" Zabuza said and looked away as if embarrassed. "It'll be a late bath though; we're booked at eleven p.m."

"That late huh…?" Haku said; a little disappointed. "Then it won't be much a view will it…?"

"Actually, it sounds quite romantic to me… to bathe under a star-filled night sky I mean…" He awkwardly responded and noticed the elder men's appreciated gazes sent his way along with the now pleased expression on Haku's face.

"Well, when you put it like that it does seem like we got the better deal." Haku smiled and casually leaned against his boyfriend's frame.

"Mhm…" His red haired sibling agreed. "So… how about we go check or rooms out for now and then… meet down here in… let's say half an hour?" Kyuubi suggested with a raised eyebrow, checking his cell phone briefly for the time.

"Yeah, see you in a bit then." Haku said and pulled a slightly reluctant Zabuza toward the main entrance.

0-0-0-0

Removing his shoes, he slid the shouji screen open and stepped inside the room shortly followed by his brother. As he gazed around the interior, his eyes shifted from the straw matted floor and the futons spread upon it to the living room with its small tables, balcony and bathroom door and small alcove.

The room was very elegant styled, simple in some people's point of view but very peaceful and relaxing to most. He definitely agreed with the latter opinion.

Scented candles were spread around the room, lit on their bedside tables and the shelves adorning the walls, creating a cozy atmosphere. A lamp out of rice paper hung low above the small dining tables surrounded by floor chairs and a potted plant was placed in the corner closest to the bathroom. Seeing his younger brother's look of awe and contentment, he smiled and placed his bag on the floor next to the dining table. "So… you like it?"

"Yeah… it's really beautiful… thank you." Naruto said with a small but honest smile, observing the room quietly.

"No need to thank me, it's what big brothers are for..."

Kneeling down to open his bag, wanting to retrieve the battery charger for his cell, his smile broadened further when he heard his brother slide the bathroom door open and gasp aloud. He was genuinely happy to see his sibling express emotions beyond those of pain and sorrow, to see him smile and forget about the people tormenting him if only just for a while.

Heartbreak was never easy to recover from but it helped if your family and friends offered support and understanding. He knew that his brother had loved his fiancée deeply and that the betrayal had hurt him more than one could understand considering the amount of pain he was experiencing and all that he had sacrificed in order to never see that person again.

Right now, he was the only one Naruto could count on, the only one who could offer him support and understanding and he would not let him down. It was true that his brother's appearance was sudden and unexpected but it certainly wasn't unwelcome. Their bond as brothers might have faded but it had never truly disappeared.

Naruto was his little brother and nothing would ever change that. Despite not knowing him as much as he would have liked, he had all the time in the world to get to know him, especially now that his brother had decided to stay. What he did know, however, was that Naruto was a kind person, someone that was genuine, caring, understanding and unique.

He loved the odd and endearing traits of his sibling's personality and he hoped that more would reveal themselves with time. The way his brother would to curl up against a pillow or a cover during his sleep, scratch his cheek or the back of his neck every time he was nervous and almost always end his sentences with a meaningless exclamation were some habits he had grown fond of.

"Kyuubi?"

"Huh?" He answered slightly disoriented, having lost himself in thought.

"I was thinking…" Naruto said as he slid the bathroom door shut behind him.

"…Mm…?"

"That I should look for a job as soon as we get home…"

"Eh?" He asked surprised, not having expected it. Weren't they supposed to relax and not ponder about work? And secondly, why so soon? Hadn't he made it clear that his brother did not have to rush things?

"I'm grateful for all you've done for me, big brother, really, but you can't continue paying for everything." Naruto said, holding his gaze steadily. "I know that my money's almost run out but- no, let me finish…"

Seeing the determined glare, he smothered whatever protest he had been ready to utter, giving his little brother a chance to speak his mind.

"I've asked my father to transfer some money to my account so it shouldn't take long before I'll have access to it. And by getting a job I'll be able to repay you both-"

"Naruto, you don't-"

"Yes, I do. If I'm going to stay with you then I want to be able to support _you_ as well. I don't want to be a burden to you or anyone… while I know that you don't think of me like that, I can't help but thinking that I am… Please, just… let me do this…" Naruto said and looked at him pleadingly.

"… Are you really _sure_ that it's what _you_ want?" He answered, concerned that his brother might hasten and shatter his healing progress by working too soon… But if it really was what he wanted…

"Yes."

"Then I won't stop you." He answered with a soft sigh.

"Thank you…" His little brother smiled and sat down on the futon beside him.

"… So… what did you have in mind…? Do you want me to ask Nagato?" He began, unsure how he could help his younger brother. He knew that Naruto had worked as an accountant before he arrived in Hokkaidou, maybe he wished to do the same…?

"Eh, no… I never want to see another stack of papers in my life… but thanks anyway." Naruto declined with a small smile. "I'd rather work with something else… where I'd make a difference…"

"Hmm… don't we all?" He teased with a smile. "A teacher or a medic then perhaps…?"

"Yeah, maybe… I don't know…"

"Hmm…" He hummed while gazing at his brother contemplatively. Perhaps his brother would be suitable for _that _type of profession? … Maybe he really could help his brother out after all…

"What?" Naruto asked as he caught him staring.

"Oh, nothing… I just thought of something…" He lied, not wanting to reveal the plans forging inside his head just yet.

"What?"

"I'll tell you when I find out." He smirked teasingly, causing his brother to pout and turn his head away in fake agitation.

"Meany…"

"Big brothers are allowed to tease, it's in their nature." He mischievously chuckled. Ah, his brother was so precious. "Now… how about we go down and meet the two lovebirds? They're probably waiting downstairs already."

…

…

Curling up against the pillow, he gently inhaled the rich and mingled scents of his brother and best friend, finding comfort in the action by tricking his mind into believing that the people he loved surrounded him. That Naruto still slept in that bed together with Itachi, that any moment now the blond would enter the room and grumble about him lying there before telling him to scoot over and rest beside him.

Though as much as he wanted to remain blissfully unaware, his mind couldn't be fooled for long when his heart spoke a different story, wrenching with pain at the outcome of their forbidden coupling, making the pretense all the harder to maintain and reluctantly allowing reality to take its place.

Naruto would not come home to join him on the bed nor would he sleep beside his brother at night anymore. His scent would eventually be replaced by theirs and laundry detergents' and vanish, no longer there to remind them of his presence.

He buried his face deeper in the pillow beneath him at the thought, preventing further tears from being shed and suffocating the unsteady exhalation that slipped past his lips. He refused to cry any longer because crying wouldn't change anything or make it undone, but it was hard not to when everything around him was falling apart.

Although he still had Itachi on his side, the older man's determination and evasiveness was grating on his nerves. Itachi seemed so determined that they would bring Naruto back that it was starting to scare him. He made it seem as if Naruto would fall right back into their arms as soon as they would find him, never thinking that Naruto left for obvious reasons and that he most likely never wished to see them again. However, he knew that the possibility of having Naruto back in their lives was very small. Naruto had been let down too many times in his life to allow a betrayal of this kind pass.

He also knew that his brother was suppressing the pain by deluding himself and hoping that everything would turn out alright because if he were to stop and embrace it then he would break down completely. It was Itachi's way of handling difficult situations, he bottled up every emotion inside of him in order to remain stable and strong in others' eyes, knowing weakness was unacceptable because then he would fail the ones who were dependent of him.

When their parents had passed away, Itachi had immediately embraced the role of the responsible adult, not giving himself any time to grieve or process what had happened, only thinking about him, the burial and how they would handle themselves financially. It hadn't been until Naruto had come into their lives that Itachi had finally let go and allowed himself to show emotions, letting the blond help him deal with his inner demons.

But that still didn't justify his sibling's behavior. Why did Itachi assume he had to be strong around him when he never demanded it of him in the first place? How could his brother not realize that his passive demeanor was frightening and not comforting as intended? And why was Itachi avoiding him? Was he ashamed of what he had done? Did his brother believe he hated him? Or was Itachi afraid that he would hurt him again?

Was he overreacting? Did he overanalyze it all?

_Why_ couldn't his brother talk to _him_? Why couldn't he share his thoughts and emotions with him? He was his brother, he had always been there for him, didn't that mean anything…? Was he suddenly less important just because Naruto had left them? Was he truly just someone his brother could use as he saw fit? Considering what had happened the day before, it certainly felt like it.

Feeling his eyes begin to sting, he closed them tightly as the pain inside increased. He knew he was being ridiculous and self-pitying but he felt so confused, lonely and used. He wished his brother could talk to him and not leave him fumbling in the dark.

Hearing the bedroom door open, he immediately tensed and tried to calm his breathing. His brother would think him silly for crying so he quickly feigned sleep. When the bed sunk to his left from additional weight however, he knew that his brother hadn't fallen for the pretense.

"Sasuke?"

"… Yes?" He quietly inquired, breathing softly against the pillow.

"Turn around."

Reluctantly obeying after wiping his eyes as a precaution, he slowly shifted to lie on his back, turning his head to face his sibling.

"I talked to Shisui." Itachi spoke without a trace of emotion, his features collected and calm. "He said he'll help us find Naruto."

Not knowing how to respond, he decided to stay silent. As much as he wanted his best friend back in their lives, he was afraid that his brother was making a huge mistake by taking this route. Not only would they be disregarding Naruto's choice and wishes, they'd force themselves into his life again as well, not caring whether the blond wanted them to or not.

"You okay, Sasuke?" Itachi questioned, probably having noticed the overly delayed response or the lack thereof.

"I'm fine." He muttered, swapping his brother's hand away when Itachi tried to touch his forehead.

"No… you're not… it's this about that time?"

"No, it's nothing. I'm just tired that's all." He mumbled, not wanting to remember what had happened that day.

It was obvious that his brother didn't believe him considering he continued watching him closely, his eyes calculating. Noticing Itachi crawling closer to him suddenly, he tensed once more and held his breath while his eyes cautiously followed each movement. Seeing as his brother stopped to gently lie down beside him however, he instantly relaxed and began to breathe more calmly.

"You're afraid of me." Itachi stated quietly, staring at the ceiling.

Feeling guilt envelope his core, never wanting to make the other believe he hated or feared him, he bit his lip while contemplating what to do. He wanted to comfort his brother but he still felt a little uneasy around him, though he didn't want his sibling to know that.

Choosing to smother his insecurities, he gently shifted his body to spoon against his sibling and kissed Itachi softly on the neck in apology. He could never hate his brother, no matter what Itachi would do, but that still didn't mean he would let himself be treated like dirt.

As Itachi wrapped his arms around him and gently stroked his back in a reassuring manner, he felt the tension diminish and the pain inside lessen for a moment. As a result, he sighed contently against the soft skin beneath his lips.

He loved being held by his brother like this and he always had. It made him believe he was loved and important enough to be cared for, a feeling he hadn't felt for the past few days. A feeling he, until now, had started to think was unreal.

"Sasuke…?" His brother whispered softly against his ear.

"Mmm…"

"Please… kiss me…"

Surprised by the request, he raised his head to meet Itachi's obsidian colored eyes, unsure whether his brother was sincere or not. He didn't want a repetition of the other day and if the only reason his brother had come to him was because he was in the mood for sex, then he'd rather have Itachi avoiding him. Seeing nothing but vulnerability and affection in the dark depths however, he slowly lowered his gaze to the soft and tempting pale lips of his older brother.

Should he?

Did he want to?

Would he hate himself?

Did he care?

Did it matter?

He hesitantly pressed his own lips against the ones below, unable to refuse when the pleasing warmth, touch and scent of his brother was so close to him, reminding him of moments so similar to this one. Savoring the soft texture of his sibling's lips, he delighted in the pleasing sensation that coursed through his body at the action.

Feeling his brother put more pressure behind the touch, he shyly traced the seam of Itachi's lips with his tongue, moistening the soft flesh while soundlessly begging for entrance into the warm and supple mouth. Being given immediate access he eased his tongue inside and gently let it slide on top of the other, teasing the sensitive nerves, causing his brother to moan and move his own muscle in tune with his.

The rhythm was slow but passionate and he could feel the arms around him shift to press his body harder against the one below, hands firmly cupping his lower cheeks to make sure their bodies stayed flushed against each other. Warnings were slowly going off inside his head but he smothered them in favor of his brother's feelings, not wanting to hurt the other male when Itachi clearly needed the contact. He wanted to prove that he didn't hate him so he allowed this for now but he wouldn't sleep with him so soon after it being the cause of their precious person leaving. It just didn't feel right.

Feeling his brother start to take control of the kiss by forcing his tongue back inside his mouth and following, he let their appendages sensually caress each other inside his oral cavity, saliva mixing as their breaths grew strained.

They soon broke apart for air, panting against equally flushed cheeks before their lips met again, more firmly this time as their bodies craved the taste and touch of one another. He gently caressed his brother's slick appendage before sensually sucking on it, slowly wringing moan after moan out of Itachi's mouth, enjoying the lustful sounds and the feeling of being in control for a change.

Reluctantly pulling away as the desperation grew, he shifted off of Itachi's body to sit on the edge of the bed, panting slightly as determination alone kept him from taking the final step, his body burning with arousal.

"Sasuke?"

"…"

"… Are you suddenly against this because of Naruto…?"

"…" He didn't know what to answer. His pants felt tight and the pleasant taste of his brother was making it hard not to crawl back on top of him but he couldn't. The thought of them having sex right now felt more _wrong_ than it used to, despite the fact that they had done it behind the blond's back for years. Perhaps it was because he had always hoped that Naruto would join them or that was his friend was blissfully unaware that the act never bothered him before. Now he just kept imagining a heartbroken expression on his best friend's face and it was unbearably painful.

"Why aren't you…?" He asked instead, slowly turning to regard his sibling. Didn't his brother feel the same? "He was _your_ fiancé, wasn't he?"

Seeing Itachi narrow his gaze at him, he knew he had hit a nerve. Perhaps his brother did feel guilty after all.

"You were the one who initiated _this_, little brother, so don't turn the tables on me." Itachi spoke, trying to maintain his calm despite the visible rage that flared in the normally emotionless eyes. "And Naruto still _is_ my fiancée unless _he_ tells me otherwise."

"You don't think the ring and disappearance proves enough…?" He asked sarcastically, not expecting an answer.

"No. If he intends to break up with me then he has to do it in person…"

"And what makes you think he'll allow that?" He huffed. "He hates us and probably never wants to speak to us again… you think he'll let us see him?"

"He's merely confused. He… misinterpreted what he was seeing…"

"How could anyone misinterpret that?" He asked and narrowed his eyes in turn, squelching the fear that rose above the surface at the awaited answer. _'Don't say it didn't mean anything…'_

"… If he had known the truth, he probably would have reacted differently…" Itachi replied in a calmer tone. "He most likely assumed we didn't care about him and therefore turned to each other. If he had known we loved him as much as we love one another than perhaps he would have been able to understand…"

"…" He knew he should feel relieved at the answer but he was not, because Naruto was unaware of their feelings and most likely hated the two of them. The blond wouldn't give them a chance to explain unless they forced him to and it would be selfish and inconsiderate on their part.

"You might think I'm selfish, but I love him… If he truly hates me and never wishes to see me again then I want him to be able to tell me that to my face." Itachi quietly spoke, his voice unable to remain steady. "I believe he owes me that much…"

Shifting toward his brother, he quietly observed him. Itachi was head was lowered, face hidden beneath layered strands as his shoulders slumped somewhat depressively, his gaze fixated on the white bed sheets below.

He felt his heartache increase at the sight and slowly crawled back on the bed to embrace his brother, needing the contact as much as wanting to share it. In a way he felt happy that Itachi had finally opened up to him but seeing his sibling like this was not the least comforting and he still didn't know whose beliefs he should support, Naruto's or his brother's...

…

…

After having met Zabuza and Haku in the lobby, they had all continued walking toward the main area of the harvest celebration, which lay a couple of minutes away from the hotel. The locals had probably not wanted to disturb the people residing around the building and therefore chosen a more secluded spot downtown.

As they strode the sidewalk, the darkness of November quickly enveloped them. What only moments ago had been a bright view of sunlight now drowned in the darkness of the evening. Street lamps and lights in windows of buildings around them illuminated the surroundings and earth of which they walked upon, creating a cozy setting along with the chilly weather and gentle breezes. Trees and entities around them cast dark shadows on the snow-covered ground, the frozen crystalline particles sparkling to the light. People passed them by on the way, children laughing and running around, women throwing shy gazes at them and giggling between themselves, men nodding firmly in acknowledgment whereas delinquent teens ignored their very presence.

The only noticeable differences from the usual festival gatherings, as far as he could tell, were the clothes, weather and food. People usually wore formal wear such as kimono and yukata during festivals and other formal events but since the falls and winters of Hokkaidou were cold, a majority chose to wear casual clothes to keep warm. Kimono out of thicker fabrics did exist, aside from the regular hakama and haori, but not everyone could afford them and some preferred pants and jackets over robes.

He didn't mind wearing formal outfits occasionally, it was a rather nice change, but he was glad that they had decided to skip the traditional wear for the evening. It was quite cold. Most likely a couple of degrees below zero and the long and layered coat he wore along with his orange sweatshirt protected him from the freezing temperatures. As far as he could tell, very few wore formal garments and the ones who did had mostly jackets on top.

Cups with steaming hot liquid could be seen being carried in the hands of some people as they approached the area; tea, coffee or heated sake were his guesses. A little girl was munching on some dango, freshly made and glazed with syrup, the sight somewhat reminding him of what he desperately fought to forget. Itachi loved sweets and often bought different types of delicacies, which regularly turned out to be dango. Sasuke hated the sugary treats however and always wore a disgusted expression on his face each time his older brother brought home some and mockingly devoured them in front of his face.

Forcing himself to ignore the painful sensation the memory created, he continued walking beside his companions, slowly shifting his gaze toward his brother for comfort. Recently, the image of his sibling calmly striding beside him was enough to make the pain lessen. Kyuubi had done so much for him without even asking for something in return, always seeing to his welfare. He couldn't be thankful enough.

"You okay, little brother?" Kyuubi inquired with worry displayed in the maroon orbs.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking about some things…" He answered and quickly schooled his features by smiling lightly. He hated the fact that he was so expressive all the time. He didn't want people to worry about him unnecessarily, especially not Kyuubi.

"You want some dango?" His brother continued, motioning toward one of the stands that sold them, probably having noticed him staring at them.

"I'm not really fond of them…" He said with a wry smile, the memory still fresh enough in his mind to make him feel slightly nauseated at the mere thought of consuming them.

"Oh, okay, you want something else?"

"Um… maybe some tea or amazake… it would be nice to warm up a bit…" He replied and unconsciously rubbed his gloved hands together for emphasis.

Kyuubi quickly pulled him toward one of the stands that sold beverages and sweets and ordered them a cup of amazake each as well as a few dango sticks and piece of Castella cake. Taking a sip of his warm drink, he watched his brother chew on the glazed morsels and turned his gaze to Haku and Zabuza across the road. They were purchasing some meat buns along with some roasted sweet potatoes, probably feeling hungry already.

He and Kyuubi were still pretty full considering they had eaten a late breakfast and an early lunch before arriving here. Thus, it didn't really surprise him that the pair was famished since they had awoken much earlier.

He was quite satisfied with own drink and delicious snack at the moment. The cake tasted divine and the amazake was just the way he liked it, not too sweet or bitter and hot enough to keep him warm. His brother seemed to enjoy the dango as well, if the empty sticks in his hand were any indication.

Noticing the other two joining them again, they all proceeded walking down the road, munching on their treats while glancing at the stands and the objects they sold. Food stands mostly covered this area but judging by the people that passed them, items such as books, stuffed animals, souvenirs and other knick knacks could be purchased further down the road.

True to their assumptions, the food stands decreased in numbers and soon different objects in all shapes and sizes were seen on display. The sound of drumming could also be heard over the noisy crowd of people that flocked around them, getting more prominent the closer they got. According to legend, the drumming was said to be an offering or form of entertainment to all Kami, to please those who had passed away throughout the ages.

"Come on, I want to see if they've got Tokoharu." Haku whined and pulled his boyfriend towards the stands that sold manga and novels, not too interested in the local performances.

Tokoharu was a romantic novel about two men falling in love during the First World War and their struggle to stay together despite all odds. He got the first book from Ino a year ago but he had never really gotten the time to read it, only having read the short summary on the back, having been too busy with work or spending time with his friends, family and lover.

Judging by Haku's enthusiasm and pleased reaction when he found the third book of the series, he had missed out on a lot apparently. He could always read it now if he felt like it, seeing as he had a great deal of time on his hands, but then again he didn't want to think about romance, love or relationships for the time being.

"Oh, man, they've even got the old man stuff!" Kyuubi exclaimed about a meter to his left with a huge grin on his face, startling him a little, showing them a red book titled 'Icha Icha Violence' covered in a plastic wrapping. "Damn, I didn't know they were this popular…"

"Well, there're a lot of perverts out there like your old man, so I'm not surprised." Haku chuckled and glanced in his brother's direction.

"Yeah, probably must be it." Kyuubi snickered and continued skimming through some of the books at display.

Feeling his mouth twitch at the overheard conversation, his eyes shifted to an illustrated book in front of him with two beautifully drawn males on its cover. One of them had long blond hair put in a high ponytail, piercing blue eyes and a muscular figure and the male's arms were loosely wrapped around the slender waist of another man with shoulder length red hair and stunning grey eyes. They were both wearing pants only and had rather ravished appearances. _'…. Kinda reminds me of Deidara and Nagato…' _He thought amusedly and picked it up for further inspection.

'_Ah, so it's that kind of a novel…'_ Apparently the two hunks couldn't keep their hands off each other, literally.

Smirking lightly, he glanced at the price before shifting his gaze toward his now heavily laughing brother with a raised eyebrow. Kyuubi was laughing so hard he had to hold onto Zabuza to stay upright, and what was even more surprising was that the tall male looked equally amused.

"Oh, god…" Kyuubi panted before he started laughing hard again, unable to form a sentence. "He- and then- he just-"

"… _Huh…?" _He thought and looked around for an explanation. What in the world?

Spotting an extremely pissed off Haku, glaring at the two men from a distance, he quickly came to the conclusion that Zabuza and Kyuubi were either laughing at the younger brunet for some reason or that Haku was ashamed of them for making a scene.

Sighing, he shook his head at them disbelievingly with a smile and put the book down on the table, turning back to aid his new friend and beat some sense into his brother.

0-0-0-0

Back at the hotel, he dropped his bags on the floor and slumped down on the bed, exhausted. They had been walking around the village for hours and watched some local performances along the way. Eventually, his feet and body had started protesting, too tired, freezing and sore to continue.

Lazily turning his head to the right toward the hallway, he spotted his lover shrugging out of a black sweatshirt, displaying the pronounced abdominal muscles through the white tank top he wore underneath. Despite the chilly temperature outside, it was quite warm indoors, so he didn't blame his boyfriend for wanting to undress.

They had been given a yukata by the hotel, which they could sleep and walk around in during the evening. It consisted of two robes, one being beige with a dark pattern and the other plain black. A similarly patterned sash in a darker color was additionally added to tie the beige robe together, leaving the darker robe to hang loosely on top of the other for further comfort and warmth. Seeing Zabuza slowly remove the tank top as well, he knew that his lover wanted to change into the given garments, probably feeling confined in the casual wear or something similar to it.

Observing the way Zabuza's hands trailed down to unbuckle his belt and unbutton his jeans, he lightly bit down onto his lips at the tempting view and slowly pushed himself into an upright position. It wasn't often he got to see his boyfriend in formal wear nor watch him put them on.

Zabuza seemed deeply concentrated on the task of dressing himself properly and never noticed his appreciative stare. The longer his gaze lingered, however, the more he wanted the garments gone. The muscled brunet looked so sophisticated and handsome.

Perhaps his boyfriend wouldn't mind undressing again…

0-0-0-0

Stepping inside the heated water a little embarrassingly, wary of his brother behind him, he slowly sat down and let the water envelope him. It was so warm and pleasant and as soon as it covered his shoulders, he breathed out contently and felt his eyes close. Hearing his brother sigh contently beside him also, he reluctantly opened his eyes and observed his sibling's relaxed posture through the steaming fog.

Kyuubi's eyes were shut in bliss and the long red tresses laid plastered on his chest and back, wet and damp from the water and stuffy air of the room. The sight made him wonder why his brother so seldom had his hair down, always fastened in a ponytail or pushed back by a bandana, never letting people see the beautiful picture it made sweeping down his temples and shoulders.

After all, his brother's insecurities were needless. No one would ever mistake him for a female with his hair up or down. He wished he could make Kyuubi see himself for the handsome and kind person that he was, and not someone who wasn't good enough for some stupid, spoiled, stuck-up bimbo.

He closed his eyes begrudgingly, knowing it wouldn't do him any good to get angry. As his brother often said, 'what's in the past stays in the past', there was no point pondering over it. He also might upset his sibling if he brought it up too often and that was something he'd rather avoid. Sighing, he gazed around the room distractingly, wanting to rid himself of the unpleasant thoughts.

Moonlight was shining through the large windows in front of them. Candles were spread out on the tiled floor and around the pool's edge and by the window sills, illuminating the multiple silhouettes of the room and creating the romantic setting he had anticipated beforehand along with the heated mist.

The view outside enhanced the impression. Shining stars and a clear grand moon decorated the pitch black sky, lights far away in the distance of occupied homes glittered; tree tops swayed in the motion of the wind and dark shadows crept along the frozen white earth.

He was glad he was able to share the experience with his brother even though the nagging feelings and lingering thoughts in his mind kept ruining his enjoyment.

The fear of betrayal and abandonment constantly followed him no matter how hard he wished it away, as did the insecurity and self-doubt. The heartbreaking discovery had hurt him more than he had expected and turned him into a different person, one he didn't know too well.

He was still himself, but in a way he wasn't.

He used to be confident, cheerful, loud and daring but now that had been replaced by opposite traits and it bothered him. He hated this shy, uncertain person he had become. It didn't feel like him and it wasn't who he wanted to be but he couldn't help it. If given time he was certain that he would be able to gain the confidence he had lost and become more like he used to be. He just needed to trust himself around other people again and hope that Kyuubi would accept him despite it.

His gaze swept over Kyuubi's form again and he began to think himself silly for doubting his sibling for a second. His brother wasn't the kind to play with his feelings and the redhead had been nothing but supportive and caring ever since they reunited, Kyuubi surely wouldn't hurt him. In his heart he believed so.

'_Wasn't that what you used to think about Itachi as well?'_ The damned pessimistic voice in his mind interjected, his face falling from the bitter truth in that statement.

"Is it too hot?" Kyuubi asked suddenly and startled him in the process, looking concerned.

"… U-um, no, it's great, I… eh… I was just… thinking about whether Asano and Momochi would join us soon…" He lamely answered. Why did he have to be so damn expressive all the time? He had tried to school his features but apparently he was not very good at it, Kyuubi had seen right through him.

"Oh… well, I think they might be a bit preoccupied…" Kyuubi said with a slightly narrowed gaze before coughing awkwardly.

He hadn't actually thought that much about the other two until now, only using them as an excuse for his absentmindedness. He was well aware of what might have kept them delayed, he wasn't stupid, but neither he nor Kyuubi wanted to think along those lines and therefore chose to ignore it when the brunets had failed to show up as planned.

"I wonder when they'll bring us the sake…" His brother muttered and stretched out leisurely, sighing at the heat.

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and they both looked at each other oddly before regarding the source of said noise. Were the staff psychic or had the others come to join them?

"Excuse me…" Came an apologetic voice as the door opened slightly. "Do you wish to have your refreshments brought inside?"

Looking at him briefly, Kyuubi responded. "Yeah, that'll be great, thank you."

Soon two men stepped inside carrying a tray each; one with small cups and a ceramic flask of sake and another with plates of various delicacies. Much to his relief, the alcohol appeared to be chilled, seeing as a light fog was forming on its container. He preferred sake cold since it brought out the flavor more distinctly and seemed especially appropriate during a warm bath.

As the men quickly put the trays down and placed the cups and plates on very small tables near them, he spotted some tofu, bean paste, mochi, fruit and other mouthwatering confectioneries.

"Please enjoy." The middle-aged man with dark hair spoke and bowed politely before leaving the room. The younger blond male lingered and served them the refreshments before rising and bowing as well. "Your company will join you shortly. They are getting ready as we speak. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to call." A slim hand motioned toward the intercom on the wall beside the door.

"Thank you, we will." Kyuubi answered and inclined his head in thanks.

No sooner than the male had left the room and closed the door, Haku and Zabuza stepped inside wearing towels around their waists. Averting his gaze, not wanting to be caught staring or spot anything beneath the fluffy white fabrics, he thanked the steaming water for disguising his flush of embarrassment and grabbed a cup of sake to sip on.

Thankfully, the two males lowered themselves in the water a bit further away from him and his brother in the enclosed hot spring, probably having felt the awkward tension. He didn't mind and relaxed once again, glancing over at his brother to watch his amused expression.

"I thought we said eleven p.m. …" Kyuubi said in a husky tenor while glancing at his friends, the alcohol working its magic on his throat.

"We got held up…" Zabuza responded without looking at his companion, leaning on the edge of the pool neither disturbed nor ashamed.

"Yeah, I figured…" Kyuubi muttered and emptied his cup of sake, pouring himself another one before handing him a refill as well.

"You were right, Naruto, it really is romantic…" Haku sighed softly, discretely changing the subject and staring out of the large windows opposite of them.

Zabuza and Kyuubi hummed in agreement while he nodded, taking a piece of the mochi with the help of a small pair of chopsticks. The hotel was definitely living up to their expectations so far, the events, view, food and beverages were great.

"Oi, hand me a piece of tofu will ya?" Zabuza grunted while looking at him irritably.

"O-oh, sure…" He awkwardly responded, caught unawares, and stretched out to grab a plate before Kyuubi and Haku stopped him.

"Zabuza!"

"Get your own damn sweets, you rude ass, these are mine and Naruto's." Kyuubi muttered and glared at his friend.

Rolling his eyes, Zabuza rose and stepped out of the pool, clearly not self-conscious or shy at all, letting water drip off of his body as he walked towards the door a few steps away. Kyuubi and Haku didn't seem too surprised or embarrassed by the display and action, so he tried to keep his gaze away without appearing too abashed.

"Zabuza… at least use the towel… you're making our blond uncomfortable…" The long haired brunet sighed.

"Yeah, yeah…" The tall male murmured as he pressed the button of the intercom and began to speak when the personal answered. "Hello? Yeah, excuse me, but could we get another bottle of sake and a tray of sweets?"

"Of course, we'll be there shortly. Is there anything else you would like?" A voice spoke through the device, one he recognized as the blonde haired male who had served them earlier.

"No, thanks, that'll be all." Releasing the button, Zabuza stepped back and walked toward them again, sinking inside the water smoothly next to his boyfriend, untroubled. When trying to embrace his lover, however, Haku shied away from him.

"… What the… don't tell me you're upset?"

"I'm not upset. You've been incredibly rude to Naruto for no reason and I want you to apologize…"

"What?"

"You heard me…" Haku said and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Wait, Asano, that's not necessary…"

"Yes, it is… and please call me Haku." Haku smiled before turning to his boyfriend. "Well…?"

"….. Sorry, squirt… I didn't mean to… offend you or anything…" Zabuza said sighing, obviously struggling not to roll his eyes. "Happy?"

"Yes."

'_He's so whipped…' _He and his brother most likely simultaneously thought, seeing as Kyuubi was smirking mockingly.

Despite the fact that Zabuza hadn't upset him in any way, he really appreciated Haku's concern. It felt nice to have someone aside from Kyuubi to care for him at this place.

"Ah… now that's a great addition to a wonderful evening, don't you think…?" Haku said and gestured toward the windows, interrupting him from his musings.

Thousands of snowflakes were falling from the dark sky like soft powder, sweeping down trees and homes in masses, gathering delicately upon the frozen earth. There was no doubt about it, fall had been replaced by winter and Hokkaidou was being entirely covered in white.

"Indeed. Cheers… to a new start…" Kyuubi smiled and raised his cup, shifting his gaze from the inviting sight to them. "…with my little brother."

"Oi, what about us..." Zabuza interrupted with an amused glint in his eyes.

"What about you…?" Kyuubi countered equally amused, not sounding confused despite his question.

"Bastard…" Zabuza muttered half-heartedly before raising his own cup. "Cheers… to the weakling and his little brother."

"What did you say?"

"Ah, shut up…" Haku sighed and clashed his cup with Naruto, tired of the constantly arguing men. "To a new friendship…"

"Cheers…" He mumbled embarrassingly and then nudged his cup with the other men, smiling despite it all.

…

€$¥£ **Information**€$¥£

_*Washitsu/Youshitsu = _Washitsu (also called Nihonma) is a traditional Japanese room with tatami mats, etc., and it is the antonym to Youshitsu, a Western-styled room.

_*Castella cake = _is a cake that's known as 'Kasutera' in Japan, (it's spelled and pronounced that way in katakana). It's originally Portuguese, merchants brought it to Japan in the 16th century and it's has become very popular and common in Japan since then_. _

_*Search Youtube for "Takako Minekawa – Cat house". It's a hilariously awesome song that makes me laugh every time I listen to it. I mean, how many songs have meowing cats in it…? Poor Kyuubi... XD_

_*Kami: _the belief in Kami is very common in Japan and originated from the Shinto religion, but the respect for traditions is mostly the reason for its continuation. The term is quite difficult to translate correctly in English. Kami are said to be spiritual essences that reside in almost all things and they vary between deities, human ancestors, spirit figures, etc. A way to be thankful to Kami is to, for example, say "Itadakimasu" before each meal, to thank all of the Kami that had been sacrificed in order to make the dish.

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**^:_:^ =^_^= **

**Thank you so much for reading. As for the hiatus, sumimasen deshita! Updates from me will take time, so unfortunately you'll have to be patient. The **_**next chapter**_** will take place about three months after this event, meaning the time will be fast forwarded. My reason for doing so will become clear in that chapter I assure you. =)**

**Now onto the review responses... ;) If you haven't reviewed the previous chapter, then please feel free to skip this part, drop a review if you want or do neither and hopefully join me next time. (^_^)/**

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**REVIEW RESPONSES:**

**JtheChosen1:** Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the chapter and its characters. Hope this chapter didn't disappoint despite its awful lateness. Happy holidays!

**blueberry:** Thank you for continuously reviewing! Well, I don't like Sakura too much but I dislike bashing of her, she is an intelligent woman after all, naive yes, but smart as well. I'm glad you liked the friendship between Kyuubi and Zabuza as well as Haku. Hope you liked the new chapter. Happy holidays!

**FoxxyWeasel:** Um, calm down, ok? My story is purely fictional and if it has destroyed something you cherish then perhaps you shouldn't continue reading it? It wasn't my intention to make you hate Itachi or Sasuke, just imagine how they're in the manga/anime and try to judge them out of that. Happy holidays!

**Miko Vampire:** Thank you for the review and suggestion, I'll definitely keep that in mind. As it is Naruto wants nothing to do with either of the Uchihas, he sees his elope as a type of closure. We'll see if anything else will be done about it considering Itachi won't give up. I hope you liked the new chapter despite the late update. Happy holidays!

**Saniwa:** Thank you for reviewing. As for your question, no, you aren't the only one. :) I can't really spoil anything about the stories main pairing, but as you might have noticed, it's still undecided so there might be a chance that Itachi and Naruto might not get together again. We'll see. Hope you liked the new chapter despite its lateness. Happy holidays!

**StreetRacerSakura:** Thank you for the review. I'm glad you like it. Hope this chapter didn't disappoint. Happy holidays!

**RoUg3:** Thank you, I'm glad you like it. I'm sorry about the hiatus and late chapter, hopefully you liked it anyway. Happy holidays!

**darkfoxy28:** Ah, thank you so much for the review and the Itachi doll, I've always wanted one. *puts in on her bed...* I hope you aren't too disappointed by the lateness of the chapter and that you enjoyed it for its contents. Happy holidays!

**IrisUzumaki:** Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, that chapter was pretty crazy, but the characters made it so I guess. :P I hope some of your pondering was answered or solved with the new chapter. Happy holidays!

**Linde:** Thank you for the review! Yeah, the Uchihas are being quite selfish and mean, I feel bad about Naruto too yet still I'm tormenting him so. Tobi, Kyuubi and Zabuza are original, I love them all and I glad you like their strange personalities. Hope you enjoyed the new chapter and that you're not too disappointed about late update. Happy holidays!

**yaoijapan24:** Thank you for the review, I'm sorry about the hiatus and extremely belated chapter. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. Happy holidays!

**xxpotxx:** Thank you so much for reviewing each chapter, it made me smile. :) I'm really glad you enjoy the story. I'm pleased to hear you like Gaara and don't necessarily hate Itachi. He is a sweetheart in the manga/anime after all. :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Happy holidays!

**xxSnowxxAngelxx:** Thank you for reviewing, I'm sorry about the hiatus and I hope you enjoyed the new chapter. Happy holidays!

**diaryanjo:** Thank you for your reviews, I really appreciate it. :) I'm sorry about the hiatus; I hope you aren't too disappointed. I can't really spoil anything out of fear of ruining the excitement of finding out later; it'll be better that way, trust me. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and that you'll continue on reading. Happy holidays!

…

…

**Arigatou gozaimashita, minna-san! **

**Meri kurisumasu! Soshite, akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!**

**Take care. ****Hugs =^_^=**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** _O'hisashiburi desu._

Douzo!

Unbeta-ed.

**Warnings:** **Language (cursing), slight OOC, angst, violence, OC, etc. **

...**  
**

"Speaking"

'_Thinking'_

_...  
_

_- (Long double lines) = change of scenery/new scene._

_o-o-o-o (One small o-line) = after a short amount of time __**or**__ change of point of view._

_..._

_..._

_...  
_

**Night Rain**

_Chapter 9_

_(Three months later…)_

Stepping out of the large tangerine colored vehicle onto the snow-covered ground, he exhaled with relief and started walking away from the bus stop, attentively observing the scenery of the relatively unknown area he had arrived in.

Similarly to Toukyou but slightly more moderate, Obihiro was urban and scenic. Buildings of cafés, offices, pubs, restaurants and stores were stacked together tightly all around him, separated by streets and alleys and littered with colorful signs.

As usual there was a consistent magnitude of movement. People left and entered establishments to his left and right, hurrying past him or walking alongside him on the street. Others could be seen conversing animatedly inside through the windows, associating with their families, lovers, friends, colleagues or peers.

Raising his head upward slightly, his gaze fell on the residential blocks farther away in the distance, towering several stories above them like a couple of mountain tops. In this part of town they were indeed most noticeable in grandeur and numbers, most of them looking the same if not for the creative decorations of windows and balconies; clotheslines, curtains, plants and ornaments in subtle or bright colors.

Averting his gaze, he crossed the street as the traffic lights on the other side of the road changed from red to green and followed the crowd left down the oncoming street.

If he hadn't been guided around by Kyuubi and his friends a few days earlier, he was sure he would have gotten lost in the myriad of streets, buildings and people. Even though he had been in Hokkaidou for almost four months now, he still couldn't get around well on his own. Everything felt foreign and unfamiliar and it was not just due to the size of the city and its smaller population but because he had practically lived in Toukyou his entire life. He had never been outside of Honshuu before or anywhere else for that matter for such an extensive time. Naturally, it would take some time getting used to…

Thanks to his new job, however, he was sure that it would happen sooner than he might think.

Work, yes. He was currently employed.

The position had been propositioned to him a few weeks ago when he and Kyuubi had been invited for dinner at the elder Sannins' house.

Luck had not really been on his side on that front until then.

He had been searching for suitable jobs ever since he had left Tokachigawa but those he had found had either been taken, out of the question or simply unattainable because of his résumé. Even though he had an economic degree and great credentials, most employers he had contacted had required experience in fields he lacked. While some had been generous enough to offer him positions within their company that dealt with finance, he had declined them all for the very same reason he had wanted to resign from his last job: he didn't wish to become an office worker again unless given no other choice.

After several weeks without any success whatsoever, he had feared that he would have to do what he detested or simply wait tables down some restaurant, but then in February it had miraculously happened.

**-¥-¥-¥-Flashback-¥-¥-¥-**

"_Ah, Naruto… Kyuubi's told me you've been looking for a job…" The blonde haired woman, more known as Sannin Tsunade, stated and gazed at him from the opposite side of the dining table with an unreadable expression on her face._

"…_ Here she goes meddling in other people's business again…" Jiraiya quietly mumbled under his breath before making a choked sound as if someone had kicked his shin underneath the table._

_Not knowing whether he should answer yet feeling as if he should, he cleared his throat once she turned to look at him expectantly. "Um, yeah… but I guess I haven't been lucky enough to find one…" He awkwardly responded with a small smile and fought the urge to nervously scratch his cheek. He didn't wish to admit that him being picky had been one of the main reasons behind it._

"_Hmm… I see… tell me, is it true that you're fond of children?"_

"_Um… yeah, I mean... who isn't?" He nervously laughed and felt his eyebrows furrow slightly, surprised by the question and beginning to grow slightly uneasy under her steady gaze. This wasn't some kind of test was it? Or was she insinuating that he was some sort of weirdo?_

"_Have you considered working with them?"_

"_Teaching, you mean?" He immediately questioned with a raised brow, his curiosity piqued and his fears momentarily forgotten._

"_Yes, or something close to it." She answered while her expression and gaze never wavered._

"_Yeah, actually I have… but that would require an education I don't have__…_ and I don't think I could afford going back to university…"

"_Hmm__…_ then what would you say if I'd offer you a position at_my kindergarten?"_

"…_… Hah?" He blurted out before he could stop himself and openly blinked in shock. Was she serious?_

"_I said, would like to work at my kindergarten?"_

"_Are… are you serious?"_

"_Yes, I most certainly am. I never joke-"_

"_Can't say I disagree…" Yahiko muttered into his glass of red wine, earning himself a pair of amused stares followed by a death glare._

"…_ One of our teacher assistants is ending her employment this month…" Tsunade explained with her hands folded underneath her chin, still gazing at him seriously with her hazel colored eyes. "Would you be interested in taking her place?_

"_A teacher assistant..?" He asked surprised._

"_Yes. It means you'd be aiding our teachers with various tasks such as helping the children get dressed, read stories for them and so on, as well as attending kids who're in need of extra help and support."_

"_But… doesn't that require some kind of experience or education?"_

"_It's preferable but not necessary, what's important is that you're able to handle children well and that you're educated enough to teach the basics."_

"_Oh…" He began a bit unsurely, growing confused as to why she would ask him of all people. "Then how come you offer the position to me…? Not that I'm not grateful and all..."_

"_Well, according to my son, I would be a fool not to hire you." She calmly replied and they both shifted their gazes to the three redheads momentarily, one of them in particular. "He told me that you would be the best man for the job and that I'd definitely regret it if I didn't hire you."_

'Kyuubi said that?'_ He thought, astonished yet pleasantly surprised, and glanced at his now awkwardly blushing sibling who was being teased mercilessly by Yahiko and Jiraiya for having a brother-complex._

"_So, I'm willing to give you a chance to prove him right, that is, if you're interested."_

"_O-Of course!" _

_While he initially had wanted to find a job on his own and be hired for his abilities and accomplishments and not due to personal connections, he did not believe that he had much of a choice but to accept the offer at this point. An opportunity like this might as well never come again and he had had about as much as he could take with job interviews and the constant searching._

"_Great, then how about you come visit me in a few weeks and spend some time at the kindergarten and we'll discuss this further?" She contently interrupted and dabbed her mouth with a napkin._

"_That would be great, thank you so much."_

"_Ah, don't thank me yet, kiddo." The older woman sternly replied and smiled before shouting at her husband and biological son to stop acting like children and for Nagato to go easy on the wine. _

**-¥-¥-END of flashback-¥-¥-**

So here he was, about a month later, on his way to the privately owned kindergarten Kanmu as an assistant teacher. Tsunade had introduced him to the management two weeks ago and after he had spent the day at the kindergarten as suggested she had surprised him by telling him that he could sign the employment contract immediately if he still wanted the job.

She had apparently thought him suitable enough for the position, saying he definitely had a good way with children and that he leveled with them easily without being condescending. Her sole condition, however, had been that he'd have to study some of their procedures during his free time so that he would know how to react if something were to happen. He had of course accepted it full heartedly, pleased beyond belief.

The salary he had been offered had also been a lot better than he had thought it would be initially. Inexperienced kindergarten workers such as him usually didn't earn that much money and were often exploited, but that was clearly not the case at Kanmu. In his opinion, he would be earning more than he deserved. Nonetheless, he was glad that he would be able to take responsibility for himself and help his brother out financially.

Besides having a just, kind but stern headmistress, the personnel at the kindergarten seemed incredibly nice and helpful. Most of them had greeted him kindly and genuinely the first day and some had even offered him their help if he ever needed it. The children themselves had of course been endearingly curious and sweet, asking him tons of questions and demanding he play with them, which had further convinced him that he had made the right decision of accepting the job and that he had been very fortunate to get it.

He was very fond of kids and it wasn't just due to their sweet and exuberant nature but because it felt good knowing that someone looked up to him, needed him in some way and that he in turn could be of help to them. To guide them and aid them in a way no one had done for him in that age.

He did not want any child to experience that void, that feeling of worthlessness, loneliness, and intense longing for the unattainable. It was too excruciating. To make matters worse it never disappeared entirely but lingered on onto one's adult years, deep inside one's core, taking root.

Indeed, even now, those thoughts often crossed his mind and caused his chest to tighten uncomfortably. More so when he had been abandoned again... by the same people who had once helped him past that vicious internal pain.

It had been three months now…

Three very long months since he had cut ties with the Uchihas and left Toukyou.

To say that he had gotten over them would be an overstatement.

To say that the time apart from them hadn't been painful would be a lie.

Every passing week in Hokkaidou had been challenging and more so than he initially had thought it would be. The excruciating pain of their betrayal and the fierce longing for their presence had increased each day and he had repeatedly been tempted to return to Toukyou in order to rid himself of the torment. However, knowing that he wouldn't be able to forgive and forget, he had endured it the best he could and distracted himself with job interviews and his precious older brother, trying to adapt to his new life on the island.

The method had worked to some extent but as soon as he had phoned his friends and family back in Toukyou or received any phone calls from them, his thoughts had unhindered returned to the Uchihas and the unpleasant feelings had resurfaced.

Banishing them to the farthest reaches of his mind in his conscious state had not helped much either because they would appear in his dreams. He would wake up miserable, tormented by nightmares of that awful day, their mocking taunts and hurtful accusations. Even the dreams most people would consider pleasant brought him nothing but pain for they made him imagine things that never happened and never would.

It seemed like no matter what he did he was unable to break free from them entirely and it was tearing him apart.

He did not understand it. Why couldn't he get over them?

Was it because the love he still held for them struggled not to diminish?

Did he actually not want to give them up despite everything? Or was it his dream he had yet to abandon? The dream of raising a child with the same unconditional love and support his parents had given him with someone he loved?

Did he somehow still believe that it could be fulfilled despite Itachi's infidelity?

It didn't make sense... None of it did. It was true that he still loved Itachi but he could never stay with somebody that secretly yearned for someone else. He refused to be a substitute or some kind of a stalking-horse. He was his own person and he had a lot more pride and self-respect than that.

Itachi did not love him. It was as simple as that.

Why did he constantly seem to need to remind himself of that fact? He had known it for three months now; shouldn't it have stuck to his mind by now? Shouldn't he already have accepted it fully?

There was no he and Itachi anymore.

Why was his mind confusing him so terribly? Why wouldn't it let him move on?

There was no point in even having the smallest of hope that his dream would come true because it never would and thinking otherwise was pure naivety. As a homosexual male in Japan he was fated to a life without children, to a life where love was forbidden and hard to find and more often than not was as brief as a tumble in the hay.

His dream would always just remain a dream, and it was about time he accepted that.

Feeling his chest tighten uncomfortably at the depressive realization, he willed those thoughts away and quickened his pace on the path through the grand tree lane he was passing.

Reaching into his pocket to fish out his cell phone, he removed his right glove with the help of his left hand and flipped the cell phone open. The time had yet to turn 9.30, which meant that he had about a half an hour left to his disposal before his shift began. Knowing that Kanmu kindergarten was only a short distance away, he decided to take the longer route across the park up ahead in order to properly calm down, not wanting to show up at work in an irate and dejected mood.

0-0-0-0

Surrounded by many different buildings, a park and a grand tree lane, Kanmu emanated a sense of warmth and security. The long and low-roofed structure with its unique architecture stretched itself across the snow white plane like something out of a fairytale. The lonely spots of its red tin roof stood out against the white environment while its pale walls blended completely with the white masses. Children could be seen playing within its lightly enclosed perimeters, making snowmen and snow angels and chasing one another around the courtyard, their cheerful laughter and shrieking voices rising in volume the nearer the kindergarten he got.

Opening the gate of the main entrance once he had stepped inside the courtyard, a few kids stared at him curiously as he passed them by and he gave them a little wave to which some hesitantly returned. Used to having adults around, most of them completely ignored his presence and continued playing with their peers in the fluffy snow, doing what they did best.

Two little girls with identical pink caps were clinging to a teacher by the door he was heading toward and he instantly recognized the male as Shiranui Genma. The man was not someone you would easily forget with his handsome features, laidback attitude and habit of keeping a toothpick in his mouth, all of which gave off an air of a rebellious delinquent.

"Ah, Uzumaki… Good morning." Genma said and smiled, causing the toothpick to shift from one place to another.

"Good morning…" He responded and smiled broadly when the girls said their greetings as well, repeating it more than necessary.

"You're with Neko, right?"

"Yeah…" He answered, immediately knowing what Genma was referring to.

Kanmu kindergarten was divided into four separate units; Neko, Kuma, Usagi and Inu. Neko and Usagi accommodated children from ages three to four while Kuma and Inu managed older children.

"Hmm, good luck, Shizune can be a handful these days…"

"Um… ah… thanks…" Passing by the snickering man, he pulled the windowed door to the kindergarten open and stepped inside the large entry hallway. He then followed the corridor on the left to the mutual break room and units for younger children.

Spotting the door of the break room ajar with no one inside the room, he removed his shoes by the doorway and walked past the dining area into the changing room where he slipped on a pair of comfortable sandals. He hung his orange winter jacket with a fur hood on a hanger and put his matching boots on one of the shoe racks against the wall. Deeming himself ready he left the room and entered the main area of the Neko unit a few doors down the hall.

"Good morning." He greeted with a broad smile, spotting Kamizuki Izumo and Nemoto Shizune by one of the tables of the room.

"Ah, good morning..." They both said and smiled.

Together with Hagane Kotetsu, the two of them were his co-workers here at Neko. Genma, Rokku Lee, Yuuhi Kurenai and Mitarashi Anko, along with a few others he had met on his first day, worked on the other side of the building in Inu and Kuma.

"Did Mrs. Sannin send you the lists?" Izumo asked while distributing crayons, markers and drawing pads onto each table.

"Ah, yes, I got them last Friday…" He answered somewhat absentmindedly before stepping forward to give him a hand.

There were currently 24 children in Neko, 14 girls and 10 boys. While most of them were four years old, 5 of them had only recently turned three. The headmistress had sent him a list of their names and birthdates a few days prior along with a group photo, wanting him to familiarize himself with the children and learn their names as soon as possible.

"Good, she's got so much on her hands these days I was afraid she might have forgotten about it."

"Much work? Hah. She just gambles online instead of doing her paperwork properly…" Shizune almost inaudibly grumbled under her breath and stacked a couple of drawings with her hands.

"Well, then there's that…" Izumo laughed before turning to look at him. "Ah, that's right, if there's anything you need to know don't hesitate to ask, Uzumaki."

"Ah, thanks, I will…" He smiled and glanced at the schedule pinned to the large blackboard a few steps in front of him. "… So… um, what are our plans for the rest of the day?"

"Oh, it's pretty much like last time… We'll help the children take off their outerwear when they'll return from the break and lead them to the assembly room where Miss. Nemoto and I have prepared a little show." Izumo replied and walked to stand beside him in front of the blackboard. "After that we'll let them finish their winter drawings, do some basic arithmetic exercises and read stories for them until lunch…"

He observed Izumo's fingers as they pointed at each arranged event on the timetable and listened attentively.

"After they've eaten they'll get to play outside again for a while and we'll keep watch until we all return back inside for another assembly where we'll sing some songs and play some games that will help them practice hiragana and katakana… and then… it's pretty much free play until their parents come pick them up."

"Oh, okay, got it."

"Trust me. It isn't as complicated as it sounds. You'll do great." The young man assured, probably having noticed his somewhat confused gaze. "Improvisation is the key in this business."

"Thanks." He smiled gratefully and nearly jumped out of his skin as Rokku Lee suddenly appeared from behind and patted him a little too hard on his back in encouragement, wishing him the best of luck before turning around to converse with Shizune about something.

Having calmed his rapidly beating heart, he idly wondered if the man by any chance was related to Maito Gai back in Toukyou. Their resemblance was alarming to say the least…

0-0-0-0

"Naruto! Naruto!" A little black-haired girl with pigtails called, staring at him with her impossibly big blue eyes.

"What is it, Amaya?" He gently inquired and crouched to her level.

Amaya was one of the children at kindergarten you could not help but take notice of. She was endearingly demanding, sweet and assertive and seemed much older than her age in terms of comprehension and behavior.

"Read a story!" She whined and took his hand, pulling him toward the navy blue couch a few steps away from them. "Come, Naruto, come!"

He quickly rose to his feet and followed, not really have been given much of a choice, and sat down on the couch as she searched for the book she wanted happily. She hummed on an unknown tune as she browsed through the books on the shelf, wanting to find the one she had in mind. Finding it quickly, she jumped up onto the couch and crawled to sit beside him, placing the book in his lap. "Read this one!"

"Mr. Bunny on the Moon..?" He smiled and looked at Amaya while she enthusiastically nodded and clutched his sweatshirt, tugging at it with impatience.

"Okay, let's see what this one is about…" He chuckled and opened the bright yellow book on his lap, pausing slightly to make the beginning more dramatic. "… Once upon a time there was a lonely little bunny called Mr. Bunny. He lived on the moon in his little blue house." He read slowly and observed the way the three-year-old listened attentively, her eyes wide and focused on the illustrations. "Outside the house was a little flower. It was a very beautiful flower. It was yellow like the sun."

Continuing to read articulately and animatedly, he noticed how a boy named Inari slowly and very hesitantly approached them, taking small careful steps at a time. Soon, the quiet child was sitting beside him on his other side, curious about the story's content like the child to his right.

"Every day Mr. Bunny would water the yellow flower. It was his best friend." He read and smiled as he briefly observed the way the children paid attention to his every word and how others soon came to join them.

...

...

She couldn't believe how quickly time had passed.

It was as if it had only been a few days ago that she had been spending time with her husband and her friend, having a great time while never knowing what the future had in store for them.

To think that one action would come to ruin it all…

No one had seen it coming.

After the engagement and adoption plans, who would have thought that Uchiha Itachi would have an affair with his younger brother? It was completely unthinkable.

But what would come to shock them the most had yet to come...

Only two days after his disappearance, Naruto had phoned them all individually and announced that he had left Honshuu without any intention of returning.

The news had left them all completely flabbergasted.

The possibility of it happening had never occurred to any of them. While they had known about the wronging of the Uchihas, they had never expected a reaction of this kind.

Neither had they known anything about Namikaze Kyuubi. Naruto had never told them about his life before Kakashi and Iruka so finding out that he suddenly would be staying with his biological older brother had been shocking to say the least.

As a result, some of them had even begun to wonder if Naruto had been hiding anything else from them all this time considering he had kept such a thing a secret. However, completely sickened by their behavior, Gaara had told them off and full of shame they had taken back their accusations, realizing their betrayal toward their friend.

As a fellow orphan, Gaara understood Naruto better than anyone else and he had reminded them all that Naruto had been put in a foster home at an early age after the death of his parents and must have been separated from his older brother. Such a subject would clearly have been too painful for Naruto to speak about or even mention. After all, he had not known if his brother was alive or if he let alone would accept him if they ever met again. So how could they blame him for wanting to keep it hidden until he knew for sure? How could they blame him for wanting to get to know his own kin now when he had every opportunity to do so?

But even though they had understood Naruto's reasoning and respected his decision, it had still been a change that no one had been too willing to accept. Naruto meant a lot to them and he always would. He had been there for each and everyone one of them and he had helped them change their lives for the better. If it had not been for him she would never have gotten together with her husband, her cousin would most likely still have hated her and Sai could still have been suffering the abuse of his drunkard father.

It was thus not very strange why most of them had wanted to get on the first plane available to Hokkaidou and talk him out of it when they had first heard of the news. But Naruto had begged them not to visit him. He was worried that the Uchihas would suspect something and he wished to avoid them at all costs. He had also not wanted to become a liability to his older brother and having a group of people visit him a week after they had met would surely put unnecessary strain on their relationship. He had therefore given them the option of contacting him by phone until he thought it was safe enough for them to come see him, but a phone call every once in a while was quite a big change from a regular visit.

As weeks passed by, however, they eventually began to adapt to a life without him. But no one could fully mend the gaping hole that had been left in their hearts with his departure.

Gaara was one of them who took the news the hardest. He seemed more withdrawn toward others but her lately, even to his own siblings, constantly seeking solitude and speaking less than he normally would. While he never had been a man of many words, his recent behavior was unusual even for him. It was as if he was contemplating things, his eyes always farseeing and cold. To make matters worse, he often left the house in the middle of the night for unknown reasons only to return early in the morning, never telling her where he had been or what he had been doing, and it was starting to worry her.

Of course, Naruto's parents were not faring much better. Kakashi and Iruka had always had a close relationship with their son and they were very protective of him still. Being the classic mother-hen, Iruka could not help but worry about his son more than what most people would consider necessary and phoned him at every given opportunity, raging at his husband for being too undisturbed by the whole ordeal. Kakashi, on the other hand, reckoned that as long as he knew that Naruto was safe and well, he did not mind the living arrangements and argued that Naruto was a grown man who could make decisions on his own. Ultimately, this caused the two spouses to have many disagreements among themselves and spend most of their nights separately.

While Neji seemed to be taking the news as well as Kakashi in the eyes of many by continuing as if nothing had happened, she knew that his unaffected façade was just a farce. The wall he had built safely around himself was actually full of chinks and it looked ready to collapse at any moment. She knew that her cousin had romantic feelings for Naruto and that he constantly had to occupy his mind in order to deal with his absence, but staying in denial, repressing his feelings and exhausting himself with work weren't very good alternatives and she was at loss of what to do to help him.

Even Kiba had been uncharacteristically gloomy, especially toward the end of November. The 'ritual' he and Naruto annually took part in was something Kiba cherished more than he let on and forgoing this year's tradition had been unusually tough for him. Just like most of their companions, Kiba blamed and detested the Uchihas for having driven their mutual friend away and he was not afraid of showing it.

While Naruto's absence had affected her in more ways than one too, she was one of the very few who did not treat the Uchihas any differently. She could never resent them because she wasn't a person to hold grudges and she could never hate someone she used to call a friend no matter what they had done. For as long as she had known them, the Uchihas had always been kind to her and it wasn't something she could easily ignore. Naruto did also not hate them despite their betrayal, so why should she? She was not the one they hurt and cheated on.

Though, with her husband and most of her friends hating their guts, she could not help but feel torn, which happened to be one of the reasons for the conversation currently taking place in her home.

"I think they're trying to find Naruto through their cousin, Uchiha Shisui…" The dark haired painter said and leaned back in his seat with a sigh, bringing her out of her musings. "My friend at the police said that he had noticed Itachi making a lot of visits to the man recently."

"… They couldn't possibly be thinking about…" Ino gasped once she quickly caught on to what Sai was insinuating.

"Why not? As a police inspector, Shisui's got access to multiple tracking devices. If he wanted to, he could find Naruto in a heartbeat."

"But… is he even allowed to do that? I mean, aren't there any regulations against this sort of thing?"

"There are, but since when have Uchihas ever followed the rules of society?" Sai answered with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"But to go that far..?" Ino frowned and bit down on her lip in worry.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures…" Sai shrugged and folded his arms across his chest, his pale skin and dark attire vividly contrasting. "They're most likely willing to do anything to find him at this point."

"What should… Is there anything we can do to prevent it?" She voiced with concern, joining in on the conversation, unconsciously fidgeting with her forefingers.

"I've told Shin to keep an eye on them."

"Haaa-ah, this is getting way too troublesome…" Shikamaru sighed and rested his chin against his hand, almost lying on top of the coffee table from his seat on the floor-cushion.

"You think everything's troublesome, Shikamaru…" Chouji said and munched on some potato chips, earning himself a look of slight disgust from his blonde-haired, blue-eyed wife.

"… I'm starting to believe that Naruto should just contact the Uchihas and tell them off. That way we'd end this childish game of hide and seek and we'd all finally be able to move on." The pony-tailed brunet continued in the same bored tone, ignoring the comment of his childhood friend.

"But Naruto doesn't want to talk to them, genius." Kiba sneered and narrowed his eyes at Shikamaru. "He knows they'd just end up throwing their lame excuses his way and he doesn't want to hear them."

"But ignoring them won't work either… If this continues, they _will_ find him eventually and what then? … If he really wants to start anew in Hokkaidou then he has to let go of the life he left behind or else it'll never end." Shikamaru responded.

"That's easy for us to say… we weren't the ones getting cheated on for years by people we loved and trusted…" Sai added, uncrossing his arms to gently rub at the sides of his forehead, feeling as frustrated as the rest of them.

"That's the thing. This has nothing to do with us. We've already done all we can and if we interfere any further each of us will just end up getting kicked by a horse."

"So we should just let Naruto get hurt again?" Gaara finally spoke and glared at ponytailed man. "No fucking way…"

"…"

"…"

"… Troublesome indeed…"

For once, she couldn't help but agree.

...

...

Wetting the sponge in the soap-filled water, he gently washed the plates, cups and utensils that had gathered in the sink, rinsing each item thoroughly before placing them in the dish rack.

He could deafly hear his brother speaking on the phone upstairs, along with the creaking sound of footsteps pacing to and fro above him. He could not tell who Itachi was talking to or what was being said but judging by the length of the conversation, it had to be important. The news could either be good or bad since his brother rarely raised his voice when he was upset or angry. He honestly hoped for the former since they had had enough of bad news for one year.

Drying his hands with a cloth before placing it back on its hock on the wall, he left the kitchen and entered the living room where he slumped down on the leather couch with a soft exhalation. He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV in order to distract himself, zipping through channels to find something interesting, not wanting to ponder too much about the conversation currently taking place upstairs.

After all, he could just ask his brother about it when he was done, right?

It wasn't a big deal.

Nothing to worry about… at all…

No matter how much he tried to convince himself of that fact, a part of him could not help but feel differently and wonder how much his sibling actually would tell him once he'd ask him.

Even though his brother had promised to be less secretive and evasive, he could still not shake the feeling that Itachi wasn't being completely honest with him. Every time Itachi told him something nowadays, it always seemed as if it was an altered version of the truth and that vital parts of the story were missing. He was always left wondering if what he had been told had been what had actually happened and it was incredibly unnerving.

Perhaps he was just being paranoid, like Itachi often accused him of being, but then again his instincts were usually right and they had not failed him once.

Hearing his brother descend the stairs, he pretended to be fully emerged in the ridiculous game show he had accidently come across and grimaced slightly at the awful screeching of the audience. Good Lord.

Sensing the appealing scent of his brother's perfume and noticing the flickering movements of the light on the floor, he instantly became aware of Itachi slowly approaching him from behind and tensed up in anticipation. Feeling his brother's stare, he resisted the urge to fidget, not really liking to be stared at so intensely and feeling strangely eager to find out about the phone call despite his many worries. Seeing as Itachi did not move at all for a very long time and only stood there quietly behind him in the hallway, he grew impatient and huffed, "Are you gonna stand there the whole day or what?"

Hearing Itachi silently laugh and finally move towards him, he turned his head to the side to watch him walk around the couch and sit down beside him.

"… So… who's winning?" Itachi queried with a hint of amusement in his voice, obviously knowing he hadn't been watching the show yet wanting to tease him about it nonetheless.

"Hn…" He huffed, not caring to answer, and grabbed the remote on his lap to turn off the appliance.

"Awww… and it was just getting good…" His sibling complained in a mock-like voice.

"Shut up... Who called?"

Raising an eyebrow at him, Itachi merely answered, "Kisame..."

"And..? What did he want?"

Frowning slightly as if surprised by his inquisitiveness, Itachi continued, "He needed me to help him with something."

"… Oh, and what kind of thing would that be?"

"I'm afraid that's between me and him." His brother replied in a somewhat carefree tone and reached behind himself to secure the knot of his ponytail.

"Oh, is that so?" He commented in a similar tone, trying not to sound as irritated as he felt.

"Yes."

"Hu–h…"

"… Sasuke, just because I promised to be more open about things doesn't mean I have to tell you _everything_…" Itachi sighed after a moment of complete silence. "In this case, Kisame begged me not to tell anyone and I'm not going to betray his trust in me."

"…. So then, this _thing_ between you and Kisame is what's kept you busy for the past few weeks… and not something, say, concerning Naruto?" He asked with not as much as an ounce of conviction in his voice, refusing to look at his sibling as he spoke.

"Yes."

"… I see…"

Rising from the couch stiffly once his brother failed to elaborate, he walked past Itachi out of the room, knowing full well that his brother was lying or leaving something out again. He didn't care in the least if Itachi thought he was behaving childishly by acting this way, he was simply too tired of all of the lies and excuses his brother spouted.

Honestly, did his sibling expect him to believe him? My God, what kind of fool did he take him for?

First of all, Kisame had never been particularly secretive. The man wore his heart on his sleeve and did not care what other people thought of him. Heck, he even told everyone about his recent conquests and embarrassing adventures of his youth, including old ladies on the street! What could he possibly be hiding that would require the constant presence of his brother and all of this furtiveness?

Second, how come his brother suddenly decided to be involved in affairs other than those of their missing lover? Just a few weeks ago, hadn't his priority been to find Naruto at all costs?

It just didn't make any sense, at all.

No, he knew that the call just now could not have come from Kisame. While it was true that the extraordinary man enjoyed speaking and actively participated in conversation, he highly doubted that he and Itachi could have talked nonstop for such a long time. Two hours on the phone was a record even for Kisame and Uchihas usually kept things short and to the point, especially Itachi.

His guesses were on someone else, namely their cousin.

He could not help but find it extremely odd that they had not heard from Shisui in three months, especially when their cousin had stated that he would be helping them. While he was aware that the man was very busy with work, Shisui's recent behavior was almost as strange as his brother's. Whenever he had phoned him, the man had never answered, and whenever he had visited him, Shisui had always been too busy to come see him.

All of these strange occurrences were leading him to believe that Itachi and Shisui were going about things behind his back, but the question was why…

Why not include him? Why keep it a secret?

Why did his brother not tell him of all people?

Had the two not made any progress? Was that it? Was the news so bad that his brother thought he wouldn't be able to handle it?

Was it something else? Had something happened to Naruto?

_Why _wouldn't Itachi tell him?

He thought that they were done with the secrecy. He thought that Itachi finally had started to open up to him, that he trusted him enough to do so. But obviously, he couldn't have been more wrong. It was as if his brother only had given him a taste of what he wanted and then continued on like always.

Honestly, he wasn't sure how much more of this he could take…

Biting the inside of his cheek lightly, he removed his hand from the staircase railing and walked the remaining steps to the guest room he normally used when he stayed over, wanting to be left alone.

0-0-0-0

"Sasuke?" A voice hesitantly called, followed by a light knock on the door.

"…" Ignoring it, he continued to read his novel, not having the energy to face his older brother.

All of their arguments always ended the same way anyway, with Itachi making promises he couldn't keep and with him being stupid enough to believe him every time. Really, why should he bother?

"Sasuke, can I come in?"

"… It's your house…" He answered, stating what was in fact true, and continued to read about Isaka Takahashi's despair, letting himself be pulled inside the story he held in his hands as he laid spread out on his stomach on top of the bed.

Reading was a great way to occupy his mind and he happened to be a fan of the author of the book was reading, already having read seven of his novels thus far. The way the writer explicitly described each event, thought and emotion always made him more eager to find out about the characters' fate. At the moment the main character Takahashi was grieving over the death of his childhood friend, who had committed suicide, and he was beginning to contemplate whether he should follow him as strange things subsequently occurred in his home.

The novel was quite exciting and contained a lot of angst, which was something he strangely enough liked to read about in his free time. Learning about other people's misery and how they dealt with it helped him cope with his own and a bit of mystery always made things more entertaining. Turning the page, he felt the bed he was laying on sink a bit to his left and being fully aware of what had caused it, he pretended not to have noticed anything.

"Don't you think you're being unreasonable?"

"…"

"Sasuke…"

"…" He kept on reading, not wanting to go through this again.

"…"

Feeling his arm being pulled by the bicep forcefully, he was suddenly turned around onto his back and pushed down against the bed, the book automatically slipping from his grasp as his brother locked his hands above his head in a vice-like grip. "Ow, what the-"

"I don't like being ignored, Sasuke."

"Let go of me." He flailed, trying to escape his brother's hold and move away from the position underneath him.

"Not until you stop acting like a petulant child." Itachi hissed a couple of inches away from his face, looming over him.

"That's clever coming from you…"

Narrowing his eyes, Itachi asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"… _Nothing_, let go of me." He snapped and finally managed to break free, pushing his brother to the side.

"Sasuke, what's the matter with you? You're acting strange..."

Now that made him laugh out loud, his brother thought that _he_ was acting strange? Now that was certainly a case of the pot calling the kettle black. "I'm acting strange? I'm not the one getting tons of phone calls claiming they're all from the same person and disappears for several hours a week without telling his _concerned brother_ where the hell he's going or when he'll return." He spit, raising his voice as his anger simmered.

"….."

"Yeah, just what I thought. _Get the fuck out_."

"It's my house."

"I don't care. I don't want to see your face right now!"

Turning his back on his brother, he clenched his fists at his sides and waited for him leave, practically boiling with rage.

Why did Itachi persist on treating him like a child if he so desperately wanted him to stop acting like one?

Hearing the door close behind him, he felt himself calm down a notch and walked inside the adjacent bathroom, quickly locking both doors on both sides before sitting down on the edge of the bathtub. He could feel tears slowly begin to gather in his eyes and he threw the item closest to him against the wall with a slam, realizing seconds later it had been one of his brother's fancy hair products.

'_Serves him well if it broke…'_ He thought with a humorless laugh and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Rising to his feet, he searched for something to distract himself with, not wanting to deal with the awful pain in his chest and the thoughts that caused it.

Approaching the bathroom cabinet right in front of him with heavy steps, he stopped to rest his hands against the faucet and observed himself in the cabinet mirror. Just as he had expected, he looked like a complete and utter mess. His hair was tussled and it stood out at odd angles, his skin was paler than usual and he had deep lines underneath his eyes. A part of him guessed that this was what frustration, grief and lack of sleep did to people.

Sighing, he raised his hand and slid one of the cabinet's two mirrors to the side to reveal its contents. Several deodorants, shaving and dental products could be seen littering the two shelves in various colors and shapes along with miscellaneous toiletries. He never used anything in there as he had his own products in his room and apartment downtown but for some reason he found himself frequently opening this cabinet.

Not really sure of what he intended to do he simply stared at the products for a while before he idly reached to grab the perfume stashed furthest in the back; a transparent glass bottle with orange liquid framed inside. Absentmindedly removing the metal cap of the container, he held the bottle lightly under his nose to get a whiff of the fresh and musky fragrance it subtly emitted. It smelled pleasantly of mandarin and cedar along with other ingredients he couldn't quite make out, not being an expert on perfumes.

It was a scent that he loved.

Yet, somehow, while he stood there and gently inhaled it, it felt a bit different from what he remembered and so strongly adored. It was usually a bit darker and spicier, more pleasant and comforting, and not nearly as cold and chemical as he now perceived it. Usually when he had felt it surround him it had always been warm, so very warm...

Laced with Naruto's warmth…

Ah. How stupid of him.

Of course it would feel different now…

Naruto's warmth and natural scent were no longer present.

Just as his voice and his smile. His contagious laughter, his endearing whines, his jabs, his stupidity, his admirable unselfishness, his strange raamen addiction, his annoying habits, his short temper, his great sense of compassion, his unbelievable kindness, his beautiful friendship and his unconditional love.

All of them were gone. Just like the person himself.

… He missed him.

God, he missed him, so indescribably much.

He wanted nothing more than to see him. To touch him, to kiss him, to tell him he loved him and call him his dead-last, to hold him and never let him go. He wanted him back home, here with the both of them so badly that his whole body was aching from the need to see him and embrace him.

Three months had been too long. Far too long.

Where was he?

Why did he not contact them?

Struggling to keep his emotions intact and prevent more tears from trailing down his cheeks, he put his beloved's fragrance back on the shelf unsteadily and hid it behind some of his brother's articles, carefully sliding the cabinet shut. Making his way back into his room shakily he grabbed his marine duffel bag from the floor next to the wardrobe and started placing his belongings into it, one after another.

He had had it with this.

He couldn't take it anymore.

...

...

Quickening his pace, he felt the frozen gravel splatter around him as he hurriedly left the parking lot in front of the building he was heading toward.

The afternoon meeting had ended later than he had expected and he felt guilty for having made his precious person wait for him more than necessary. While he knew she didn't mind it very much, it was still something he didn't want her to get used to.

Observing his Rolex for the umpteenth time since he had stepped outside his vehicle, he shifted his gaze toward the entrance doorway ahead of him and quickly reached for the handle, pulling it open a bit too forcefully before rushing inside. He could vaguely hear his footsteps echo against the marble floor as he approached the cloakroom with haste, being tormented by waves of guilt and flashbacks of her saddened face.

"Daddy!" His daughter yelled as soon as he entered the room, rushing to his side with quick steps and raised arms.

"Sorry I'm late… Did you have a good day today, sweetie?" He asked and bent down to scoop her up, hugging her tightly against him while sending Ms. Nemoto by the doorway a grateful glance.

"Mhm," She hummed and buried her face in the juncture between his neck and shoulder, gripping his long tresses in her small fists.

Gently letting her down after a while, he took her hand in his and let her lead him toward her shelf. "Today we painted… and readed Mr. Bunny…" She tiredly mumbled and rubbed her right eye before jumping slightly as if to get more energized.

"Mr. Bunny?" He questioned with a smile and collected his daughter's clothes and backpack from her shelf, kneeling down to put her panda bear hat with stitched ear-like pieces on over her moving head.

"Mmm, Naruto say… Mr. Bunny is happy bunny."

"Oh, he does?" He asked amused as his little child rambled animatedly, her big blue eyes focused on him as her pigtails swayed bellow her cap.

The adventures of Mr. Bunny were Amaya's favorite storybooks. She absolutely loved the colorful illustrations and the hidden messages the texts conveyed, even going as far as painting them and reciting parts of the texts.

He had purchased all of the existing editions for her but he rarely had the time to read them to her himself since he always was preoccupied with work. That was why he always was so grateful when someone did it for her at the kindergarten and helped put that adorable smile on her face.

"Yes, Kotetsu like him!" Amaya chirped while he put her white winter jacket around her shoulders and zipped it over her black puff ball pants. "And… and flower."

Not being able to suppress his laughter, he quietly chuckled at the cuteness and complete lack of coherency of his precious sunshine. She was too adorable for her own good. Oh, how he feared the days of her adolescence. It probably wouldn't be healthy to scare the living daylights out of so many teenage boys for daring to be within the vicinity of his daughter.

"You have a new teacher?" He asked after having ended his own amusing monolog, assuming she wasn't talking about maelstroms, a type of kamaboko or the city in Tokushima.

"Mmm..." Amaya hummed and nodded, causing him to frown and glance at the door were the female teacher had disappeared. "Naruto… like Dei-Dei…"

Grimacing somewhat at her presumably 'horrifying' description, he led her outside where they spotted their current topic of conversation by one of the many snow-covered swings of the playground. Sighing at the sight, he told his subordinate to take Amaya to their car and wait for his return. As his little girl begin to pout, he just sadly smiled at her and watched her be lead to the parking lot by the grinning blond.

For some reason, his daughter got along quite well with the long haired nuisance. Only God knew why. Albeit excellent at his job, the man was extremely annoying and freakishly obsessed with explosive art. Yet he had a way with children and Amaya liked him a lot, insisting that he should visit them often, which happened to be one of the reasons he let him tag along after today's meeting.

Coincidentally enough, Deidara also happened to live in their neighborhood and demanded a ride whenever their schedules fit, the bastard. He could never figure out why he always let him have his way. Perhaps his daughter's pout was just more powerful than he had thought or maybe he had gone completely mental somewhere along the way. In retrospect, the latter reason certainly would explain a lot.

Snorting lightly at the train of thought, he turned back inside and removed his black leather derbies by his daughter's shelf. As the kindergartens greatest sponsor he felt he was entitled to know whether new personnel were employed and if they were qualified enough to care for _his_ daughter. It was not like he doubted the judgment of the headmistress or anything of the sort but he wished to be notified if any significant changes were made and apparently he had to remind of her that.

Stepping inside the grand main room, he looked around for any of the employees and was pleased to see a seemingly unknown male opening and closing cabinet doors to his far right, obviously searching for something with his back turned against him. The man was lithely built, tanned and brightly blonde haired and wore a sweater of a subtle orange shade to a pair of beige jeans, which strangely seemed to complement his figure.

Guessing that this was the person he was looking for, he began to approach the stranger leisurely from behind. He harrumphed gently to get the male's attention and began to speak without waiting for any kind of response, "… Excuse me, I believe we haven't-", only to fall silent when an all too familiar face met his.

"O-oh, um, g-good evening… may I help you with something..?"

"…"

To say he was shocked would be an understatement.

What in the world was that man doing here?

Thanks to many years of practice, he managed to school his features to the extent that he merely raised his brows lightly in surprise at the revelation instead of embarrassing himself by gaping like an idiot. Apparently, Uzumaki was not so lucky. He currently resembled a combination of a deer caught in the headlights, a gaping fish on dry land and a very ripe tomato. Had he been any lesser of a man, he probably would have laughed at the very amusing picture.

To his surprise, he also noticed that he seemed strangely relieved that Naruto didn't appear to be as frightened as he had been the first time they had run into one another. Even though the man seemed very shocked by their meeting again, there was no fear in those eyes, not like there had been, and it oddly calmed him._ 'Perhaps I look less scary today, hmm?'_ He thought with slight amusement, but quickly shrugged it off as the soft pink lips before him began to form sentences.

"Um… do you want me to get one of the other teachers? I think Miss. Nemoto and Mr. Hagane are in the assembly room…" The blue eyed man awkwardly suggested and briefly glanced behind himself as if to confirm his statement.

He didn't answer at once as he found himself suddenly marveling at the blonde's similarity to Namikaze Kyuubi. Had it not been for their different ages, hairstyles and eye colors, they would practically have been identical, the two of them even sharing those strange whiskers-like marks on their cheeks.

Indeed, there was absolutely no doubt in his mind now that the two men were related but the question that still remained unanswered was how, in what way. The only relatives of that red haired fool that he knew of were his vice presidents, Kanmu's headmistress and that perverted novelist. Who was this man and what kind of relation did they have?

Deciding to find out for himself and save the blonde from further embarrassment, seeing as Naruto was blushing brightly at his not so very discreet ogling, he answered the question asked.

"No, thank you, I am actually more interested in you… " He said and amusedly observed how the male turned a redder shade. "I'm Takagi Tobi, Amaya's father."

"O-oh…, I'm sorry, I'm Uzumaki Naruto and I just started working here…" Naruto responded awkwardly before bowing politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you…"

"Yes, indeed..." He agreed and merely nodded in response. "But I dare say that this isn't our first time meeting, am I right?"

"…"

He didn't think one could get any redder and yet somehow Naruto still managed to surprise him. Although, he had to admit, the blonde looked very cute like that, all flustered and uncomfortable. "Forgive me for asking but… are you by any chance related to Namikaze Kyuubi of the Sannin family?"

"Um, yeah, he's my brother… how did you know?"

"Just a hunch…" He falsely shrugged, not as foolish as to reveal the actual reason for his inquiry, and stepped over to check on some of the drawings the kindergarten personnel had put up.

So they were siblings, huh? No wonder they looked so alike.

Deciding to amuse himself, he turned around to face the blond man again. "Be that as it may, I do hope that you're more intelligent than your brother… I can't have my daughter being taught by a fool, can I?"

"…" Seeing the shocked expression overtake the man's features once more and noticing how the blonde's eyebrows began to furrow, he quickly continued before Naruto could retaliate.

"As much as it pains me to interrupt our wonderful conversation, I'm afraid it's getting late." He smiled, well, if you would call it such. "It's been a pleasure meeting you and I do hope we'll meet again. Now, if you'll excuse me." Turning on his heels, he took great pleasure in leaving the shocked man behind to glare at his back and splutter unintelligibly.

Preparing to resume his stroll down the corridor once he had reached the entrance, he noticed that there were no lights on in the headmistress office from afar. Perceiving it as her having gone home for the day, he turned around and walked out of the building, deciding to give her a phone call tomorrow instead and remind her of her promise.

Throwing a last glance at the kindergarten once he neared the parking lot, he could not help but curve his lips into a pleased smirk, pleased by the sudden turn of events.

0-0-0-0

'_That… that rude stuck-up bastard!'_ He silently fumed as his blush began to dissipate, cursing the dark haired man to hell and back for making a fool out of him.

How dare he ask if he was related to Kyuubi and then insult them both and leave? Who would do such a thing? You would think a man like him at least would have some manners, but oh no, he was being utterly rude and inconsiderate for no apparent reason.

Come to think of it, how did the bastard even know about their relation in the first place? Kyuubi didn't associate with the guy other than seeing him occasionally when he went to meet Nagato and Yahiko and even if the vice presidents of Akatsuki had told their boss about the two of them, it was none of his business whether they were related or not and it did certainly not affect his performance as a day-care worker. Not to mention the fact that neither he nor Kyuubi were foolish, damn it!

Gritting his teeth, he internally fumed as the scene replayed itself over and over inside his head, his dislike of the dark haired male growing rapidly. Oh, the nerve of that guy…

Noticing Shizune approaching him from his far right, he tried to compose himself the best he could and bottled the anger that boiled from within. He knew it wouldn't do him any good to throw a tantrum on his first day as an employee at Kanmu and to be honest he had dealt with far more infuriating men in his life without letting it get to him this badly.

"I see you've met Mr. Takagi…"

"Yeah…" He answered curtly, still feeling mighty irritated.

"Charming man, isn't he?"

Stopping himself from snorting out loud at the last minute, he couldn't help but raise his left eyebrow in disbelief, stunned by the lack of sarcasm in her words. _'You've got to be kidding me...'_

"He's always in good spirits and he's such a considerate father. Even though he's awfully busy he always does everything in his power to please his child." She said and sent him a gentle smile. "Amaya completely adores him for it and it's so sweet to watch them interact with one another…"

"…"

"I suspect you haven't noticed it yet but those two are like two peas in a pod…"

"…"

In what way were those two alike, exactly? Amaya was nothing like her father. She was incredibly sweet and not meddlesome, rude, arrogant, conceited, manipulative, pompous, and prejudiced.

"Well, enough gossip for today, let's join Kotetsu in the assembly room…"

Thankful for a distraction, he absent-mindedly followed her out of the main room through the spacious kitchen to the assembly room where Kotetsu was busy cleaning the floor. The wet mop could be seen sweeping over the forest green linoleum in circles to gather the offensive fluids that had been spilt across it.

"Ah, there you are…" The spiky haired man smiled as he heard them approach him and ceased his movements for a moment. "It took you an awfully long time to get the… huh, you didn't bring it with you?"

"What? Ah, shit, um… I kinda… forgot it in the other room; I'll be right back..." He awkwardly answered and quickly rushed back into the main room to get the floor detergent, feeling incredibly embarrassed. The reason he had gone in there in the first place had been to get the damn thing and then he had totally ended up forgetting about it thanks to that asshole Takagi. How stupid could he get?

Grabbing it by the table where he had left it, he walked back into the assembly room, trying his outmost to fight the blush that was spreading across his face. "I'm sorry… I guess I got a bit distracted…" He lamely apologized and scratched his flushed cheek once the brunet took the bottle from his grasp.

"No worries, Nemoto explained that Takagi Tobi ended up interrogating you-"

"I said no such thing. He merely _introduced_ himself, you idiot." Shizune quipped and glared at the chuckling spiky haired man.

"My bad…" Kotetsu smiled and raised his hands in mock defense only to share a look with him over her head as if to say he knew exactly what he had gone through.

"… Anyway… we better finish up, it's past eight o'clock already…" The slender woman sighed before observing the flower-shaped clock on the wall, furrowing her eyebrows worriedly.

"Yeah, just let me get this floor vomit-free and I'm ready to go." Kotetsu sighed and pressed the wet mop against the floor with a highly unappealing sound, causing Shizune to cringe and look slightly nauseated. "You two can get going; this will only take a sec…"

Sending a somewhat sympathetic look toward his colleague, he and Shizune did what he suggested and headed toward the staff room.

One of the kids named Udon had started feeling bad at the end of the day and had ended up vomiting all over the floor, the poor guy. Thankfully, he would recover in a few hours with a bit of rest and he was taken home by his mother.

Placing his belongings in his black and orange messenger bag, he zipped it shut and grabbed his winter jacket off of the coat hanger and put it on, threading his hands through the sleeves. He felt slightly ecstatic but most of all relieved to finally be able to go home. The day had been extremely tiring and his soft and comfortable bed felt incredibly appealing to his aching shoulders and calves.

His new job was so unlike his former job at the firm. There, he would remain frozen at his desk for hours going through documents, typing down information on his computer and occasionally rising to consult his colleagues before calling it a day and walking the ten-minute route from the train station to his home. Here, he got to play with children, aid them and the teachers with various tasks and rush from one part of the room to another in order to do so, constantly on his feet.

Regretfully, he had to admit that he was quite out of shape. He couldn't even remember the last time he had had a proper workout. To make matters worse he had lost a lot of weight since he had left Toukyou and the muscles he had previously built up had pretty much vanished into thin air as a consequence.

He surmised that he needed to bulk up a bit in order to pull this through, although not to the extent where he would be able to compare himself to Kyuubi and Zabuza but merely so that working at Kanmu wouldn't put too much strain on his body, like it did now.

'_Kyuubi's probably gonna freak' when I tell him…'_ He mused and felt the edges of his mouth twitch in amusement. His brother had been nagging him for weeks to come join them at the gym so his decision to bulk up would surely please his sibling immensely. He could already imagine Kyuubi smiling and raising his fist in the air as if he had just won some grand prize, the goofball.

Grabbing his bag from the chair he had let it rest on, he followed Kotetsu and Shizune out of the staff room and closed the white oak door behind him carefully. Just as he was about to turn and join their stride down the long corridor he noticed that he had forgotten his scarf and quickly turned back inside to get it after notifying his colleagues. It was too cold outside to leave behind and he did not want to catch a cold.

Passing by the dark dining room, he let the street lights from the windows guide him to the adjacent changing room, not too bothered by the impending darkness and too lazy to switch the lights on. Instantly finding the beige scarf on one of the benches that was illuminated by the external light, he quickly wrapped it around himself and turned to leave. As he was halfway out of the door, he suddenly froze in place as a scream echoed throughout the building.

Immediately recognizing the voice as Shizune's, he felt his blood run cold and he ran out into the hallway to see what had caused the reaction only to come to a halt when he was met by complete and utter darkness.

Struggling to adjust to the sudden absence of light, he traced his fingers against the break room door to step inside the hallway, searching for the light switch he knew was located somewhere on one of the two walls beside him.

"Hey, are you guys alright?" He called out somewhat nervously, sliding his hands up and down the right wall, only to suddenly hit home and see the lights above them flicker and the room instantly lit up.

"Ah, you jerk!" He heard Shizune shout before he could actually see her push Kotetsu away from her forcefully much further down the hall, a smack resounding in the hallway, causing the man to almost topple to the side. He could see her pant lightly from exertion and hold her cheeks as if they were flaming with embarrassment, trying to put as much distance between her and the other male as possible.

Managing to stay on his feet somehow, Kotetsu merely leaned against the wall closest to him, doubling over as rich laughter started to pour out of his mouth, his shoulder shaking with mirth. "Hahahaha… you should have seen your face…"

"Shut it! How was I supposed to know it was the timer? I didn't check my watch when we left." The woman embarrassingly grumbled and adjusted her clothing before abruptly turning to him with a softer facial expression. "I'm sorry, Mr. Uzumaki, I hope that you weren't too shocked, we've got an automatic light timer that's set to turn off at eight thirty but I totally forgot about it since I usually don't work this late…" She embarrassingly explained and finished by glowering at their smirking colleague.

"Ah, it's quite alright, I was just a bit shocked, that's all…" He replied as he slowly approached them with his hands down his pants-pockets.

"Most of us are used to it by now but it's always funny when someone forgets about it." Kotetsu smiled and manically turned off the lights of the hallway once they had passed it, turning to look at him with an amused expression before gesturing toward the woman with a head-flick. "Shizune got so scared right now she clutched my arm and wouldn't let go…"

"Y-you liar, I did no such thing…" The dark haired woman stuttered, her flush persisting.

"Whatever you say…" Kotetsu smiled and teasingly winked at her, causing the female to flush a redder hue and fume in anger.

Following them outside, he couldn't help but smile at their ongoing bickering, finding it both amusing and refreshing. He would definitely never get bored with the two of them around, that he knew for sure.

Turning to his company to ask them a question about the management, he silenced once he noticed Genma and Anko heading in their direction, passing the gazebo in the middle of the playground twenty meters or so away from them.

The man was smoking his usual supply of Seven Stars cigarettes while listening to Anko chattering away, staring off into space and nodding occasionally as if to show that he was paying attention. In turn, Anko looked really enthusiastic about whatever it was she was discussing and gestured wildly with her hands.

In no more than a minute, the five of them met half-way across the yard and together they left the kindergarten, conversing lightly all the while.

...

...

Hearing the door slam and his little brother's voice call out for him from down below, he rose from his position on the floor and walked back to the top of the attic ladder.

"I'm in the attic!"

Walking back to the cardboard boxes he had been rummaging through in the far end corner of the room, he knelt down and continued to look for the training equipment he had stashed there somewhere along the years.

Believe it or not, he did not visit the attic very often, which always made it more of a pain to find whatever he had placed there when he first had moved in several years ago.

'…_ Ah, there they are.' _He thought with glee and retrieved the short 20 kilo-barbells from the corrugated box, holding them close for inspection.

It had been a while since he had used these guys but they looked as wonderful as ever, almost as good as they had done when he first had bought them. To see them now was kind of nostalgic in a way for they had made him shed a lot of blood, sweat and tears when he had first started training.

Readying to rise to his feet, he grabbed the weights in his hands and was just about to stand when he noticed something dark and shiny sticking out behind the box of his two black barbells. Naturally curious as most of the items in the attic were stored in cardboard boxes, he put the training equipment down again and stretched to grab the unknown object from its hiding place.

Just like he had expected it was nothing more than a dusty plastic bag, but there appeared to be something firm in it. Idly placing it on one of the taller boxes he reached inside with his hand and carefully pulled the item out, only to cough when the offensive particles spread into the air and tickled his delicate sinuses.

Much to his surprise, it appeared to be a very old book of some kind. Inspecting it more closely under the light, he realized that it was not a book but a photo album, one of the very old versions that you seldom came across these days.

That was… very odd…

He was quite sure that he didn't own such an old album. To be more precise he couldn't remember ever having seen it before in his life.

It seemed like an awfully strange thing to have forgotten…

Internally shrugging his shoulders, he grabbed the edge of the front cover and carefully flipped it open, curious as it see its content. As expected there was a bit of dust on the front page too but having removed it he was able to see some kind of scribbling in ink on the otherwise blank page. Much to his disappointment, he could not fully interpret the characters as much of the ink had been smeared, probably due to old age or dampness, so he continued to explore the album for more clues of the its origin.

The next two pages had four photographs, two on each side, all colored and in good shape despite the old age of their casing. But it was not the color and the condition of the pictures that almost made him drop the album in shock, but the people looking back at him.

"What are you doing up here?"

Startled, he lightly jumped with fright and turned around to face his baby brother at the top of the stairs. "Ah, Naruto, w-welcome home…" He said with a shaky smile, his mind still reeling at the discovery. "I… I was just looking for something I had stashed up here…"

"Oh. Did you find it?" Naruto said and looked around the storage area curiously.

"… Y-yeah, I did…. I… Could…um…could you come here for a second? … There is something I want to show you…"

"Huh? What?" Naruto asked and cutely tipped his head to the side, walking up to him.

"… I found this in a plastic bag behind one of the boxes…"

"… A book..?"

"A photo album…"

"A photo album?"

"Mmm…"

"Oh... who's… in it?"

"… Our parents… apparently…"

"What? But…I thought you said you didn't have any other photos of them other than those you showed me before?" Naruto said with great confusion, frowning slightly.

"I didn't think so either… but apparently I must have forgotten about this… somehow…"

"… Oh…"

"…"

"… Kyuubi…?"

"Hmm..?"

"Are you alright? You're looking a little pale…"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, um… how about we take this downstairs?" He said and tried to make up an excuse for his sudden absentmindedness. "… I think the air up here is making me a bit dizzy…"

"A-ah, of course. Do you want me to carry anything?"

"Uh… yeah, if you could take one of the barbells over there, that'd be great…"

"Ah, sure."

Grabbing the barbell that had been left behind on his way down from the attic, the photo album held securely in his other hand, he could only deafly hear his brother descend the stairs to the first floor as pain blossomed anew in his chest.

This was why he rarely visited the attic. Why he so seldom looked into the photo albums of his past.

The rush of memories always brought him nothing but pain...

He hated how the people in the pictures always looked so joyous and were so blissfully unaware of the tragedies, sorrows and heartbreak that would strike down a couple of years later down the lane...

He hated to be reminded of good times, of people he had loved and of people he had lost, of everything he could never have again.

0-0-0-0

Having sat down by the living room table and begun to look through the album together, he had quickly come to several conclusions. First of all, he had been right in his previous assumption - the photo album was definitely not his. He had never seen it or any of the pictures before in his life and he was certain that he not have conveniently forgotten about them.

Second, he did not understand what it was doing in his attic. While it clearly had belonged to his mother at one point as all of the photos were of her in her youth and the scribbling was her handwriting as it matched that of his few mementos, it had never been handed down to him after their death.

When he and his brother had been placed in foster care, most of their parents' possessions had been sold and disposed off as there had been no relatives left alive to take care of them. What he had saved was what he had taken himself and what the authorities had kept for him, but it had not been much and most of it had had no sentimental value.

Did that mean that someone had managed to save the album somehow? Someone who had known his parents?

Was it someone he knew? Did they have anything else?

Why had they placed it in his attic? How could they have done so without his notice?

Why had they not contacted him?

Feeling his eyes narrow as the questions circled inside his head, he was suddenly brought out of his musings as Naruto suddenly touched his shoulder.

"Who's that?" Naruto said, pointing at one of the photographs somewhere in the middle of the album.

"Who?" He asked slightly disoriented, not having studied the photos as closely as his kin.

"That man behind our mother… there, in the black and marine kimono with the crest of a fan on his chest…?"

"… I don't know… Can't say I recognize him…" He answered while inspecting the photo more thoroughly. "Maybe there's something written on the back…" He said after a while and carefully unloosened the photo in order to flip it over and have a look, knowing his mother had had a habit of writing on the back of her photographs. "Does he seem familiar to you?"

"Not really… it's just that that crest…"

"Hmm?"

"Ah, it's probably nothing…"

"No, what, tell me." He insisted, noticing that his brother was looking a bit concerned.

"It just that it looks similar to that of a family crest of a friend of mine, but it couldn't possibly be..."

"Oh..? Well, let's see if you recognize any of the names then…" He said and tried to read the slightly blurred handwriting of his late mother. "It says here… _'19XX, Kyouto, New Year's Eve; Terada Rin, Namikaze Minato, Uchiha Obito and I'_… Anyone you recognize?"

"…"

"Ah, it also says something else here… Let's see, uh, it's pretty blurry… _'taken by… Ha-…_ Hmm, I think that should be _Hatake? Ka-Kakashi'_… maybe..?"

"…"

"… Naruto_…_ ?"

...

€$¥£ **Information** €$¥£

_*Neko _means **cat** in Japanese_, Kuma _means **bear**_, _Usagi is **rabbit **and_ Inu _means **dog**. Also, the name of the kindergarten, _Kanmu, _means **sweet (pleasant) dreams**, so I thought it was an appropriate name for a kindergarten. =)

_* Hiragana and Katakana – _are two components of the Japanese kana, i.e. the Japanese "alphabet". Hiragana supports the Chinese characters (kanji) while katakana mostly is used for emphasis and to transcribe loanwords and foreign names.

*_There is a Japanese saying that one will end up being kicked by a horse and thus be killed if one interferes with another's love life._

_*Kamaboko – _is a seafood product where fish is pureed and combined with additives and formed into loaves which later are steamed until they are firm. These are later cut into thin slices and served in various ways. One particular type that has swirls inside of it is called Naruto, most likely named after the whirlpools in the city Naruto in (Tokushima) Japan.

...

**^:_:^ =^_^=  
**

**Hi, remember me? Yes, I know it's been over a year since the last update and I'm very sorry about that. Really, it's inexcusable. But what can I say, life just took a hold of me and wouldn't let go. **

**I really hope you enjoyed this chapter nevertheless (it is one of my longest, 33 pages). As you can see, the wheels are slowly turning and several pieces of the puzzle are falling into place. In case you are wondering, I've been editing the other eight chapters a bit, just a few language errors and such that does not change the plot or overall content at all, so you're more than welcome to reread them if you want. **

**Thank you all so very much for your continuous support and patience! It really means a lot me.**

******Especially, _darkfoxy28, blueberry, stallion14, akiraoniichan_,_-siarafaerie-100-miss, xxpotxx, AnjoRemix, debsdragons_, _xXxDarkness Sorround YouxXx, xxxXXXSMILEXXXxxx, triniwriters, Xurtan, IzanityRulz, Miyuki1393, MikoVampire, xXxItaHinaSasuxXx (x2! :P), Dar'ska, PhoenixfromtheFlame, MojoUndecided, Mischievious Bunny, littlebunny12, lola, writerincognito, midnight-camillia (x2! :P), You Are Loved_ and _mangafreak_! I really enjoyed and appreciated your reviews!**  


* * *

**Until next time, arigatou gozaimasu minna-san!**

**Take care. Hugs =^_^=**


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